Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities – SDSCA
Measures the frequency of performing diabetes self-care activities over the past seven days.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities – SDSCA was developed by Deborah T. Toobert, Sarah E. Hampson, Russell E. Glasgow (2000). It is designed to measure Diabetes self-care behaviors. The scale is intended for use with Adults with diabetes.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 13 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Diet, Exercise, Blood-Glucose Testing, Medication, Foot Care.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Diet | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Exercise | 5,6 | 2 |
| Blood-Glucose Testing | 7,8 | 2 |
| Medication | 9,10 | 2 |
| Foot Care | 11,12,13 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = 0 Days, 1 = 1 Day, 2 = 2 Days, 3 = 3 Days, 4 = 4 Days, 5 = 5 Days, 6 = 6 Days, 7 = 7 Days.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Adherence: 0 – 2
- Moderate Adherence: 3 – 5
- High Adherence: 6 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Mean alpha ranges from 0.47 to 0.78 depending on subscale.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.