PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to understand what are the experiences and management of type 2 diabetes in everyday lives among Korean people.
METHODS
A grounded theory method was utilized to explore how people with type 2 diabetes to experience and manage their disease under the Korean socio-cultural context. The data were collected via narrative in-depth interviews with 21 people with type 2 diabetes during 2010-2011 and all interviews were transcribed for verbatim analysis.
RESULTS
The core category was 'Rearranging everyday lives by accepting diabetes as lifelong annoying companion.' Four stages were identified: ignoring; struggling compromising and conciliating. Each stage illustrates major problems and/or strategies that the participants face in dealing with diabetes. The process illustrates the transference from their ordinary life, in which diabetes or health was ignored, to the health-oriented life, within which diabetes is integrated into their lives. The most difficult barriers they faced in everyday lives include social stigma of diabetes and collectivistic culture in Korea. Within the culture, the group goals are concerned over individual ones, making it harder for the participants to take care of their own health.
CONCLUSION
The findings of the study imply that health care professionals may consider the influence of social stigma in caring diabetic patients. Also, the intervention study is warranted to educate Korean people with diabetes to get aware of the sociocultural context and stigma as well as personal difficulties in self-caring diabetes.

Citations

• The Mediating Effect of Acceptance Action in the Relationship between Diabetes Distress and Self-stigma among Old Adults with Diabetes in South Korea
  Hyesun Kim, Kawoun Seo
  Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2022; 33(4): 446.     CrossRef
• Association among Lifestyle Factors, Obesity, C-peptide Secretion, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Risk in Adults with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Study
  Sun-Young Kwon, Hye-Ja Park
  Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2019; 44(2): 125.     CrossRef
• Samoan migrants’ perspectives on diabetes: A qualitative study
  Yasin Shahab, Olataga Alofivae‐Doorbinnia, Jennifer Reath, Freya MacMillan, David Simmons, Kate McBride, Penelope Abbott
  Health Promotion Journal of Australia.2019; 30(3): 317.     CrossRef
• A Review of Qualitative Research in Korea: The Life Experiences of Diabetes Patients
  Been Yoo
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