Introduction: This study aims to determine the disease management self-efficacy level for patients with type 2 diabetes living in a rural area of Turkey. Methods: The study sample consisted of 216 adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Data were collected between April and June of 2015 using the Self-Efficacy Scale for Type 2 Diabetes. The relationship between independent variables and self-efficacy level was evaluated with t-test and one-way ANOVA in independent groups. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the determinants of self-efficacy level. Results: Diabetes patients living in rural areas had a moderate level of self-efficacy. Female and unemployed patients, and those who had a low educational level, who spent their lives in a village and did not receive disease management training constituted a risk group in terms of self-efficacy. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that using oral antidiabetics or insulin (β= -0.122), lack of education on diabetes complications (β= -0.125) and insufficient self-management of diabetes (β= -0.484) reduced the self-efficacy score. Conclusions: Metabolic control parameters suggest that type 2 diabetes patients living in rural areas of Turkey had a poor disease management level and a moderate self-efficacy level. Measures to improve the self-efficacy levels call for a diabetes education program that includes lifestyle modifications and available resources in rural areas, as well as more frequent monitoring of patients living in rural areas.