Behavior change in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: support for primary care.

Abstract

Objective: identify the stages of motivation for behavior change in people with diabetes and the actions taken by professionals to encourage self-care.

Method: This qualitative exploratory study was conducted in a Family Health Unit in a capital city in the Brazilian Midwest, based on the assumptions of the Transtheoretical Model of Motivation for Behavior Change. Of the 17 participants, nine were patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and eight were healthcare professionals. Data collection took place through individual semi-structured interviews between January and May 2023, subjected to thematic content analysis.

Results: two main categories emerged: stages of motivation for behavior change from the perspective of users and professionals; care practices; and challenges in identifying these stages. Users presented different stages of motivation, depending on the habit analyzed, with no record of pre-contemplation. Professionals, however, reported difficulties in recognizing the stages, adopting generalized approaches.

Conclusion: identifying the stages of motivation is essential to support personalized interventions in Primary Care. Qualified listening, consideration of psychosocial factors, and adapting health education to individual readiness can promote self-care. The need to train teams in the use of user-centered approaches is reinforced.