Abstract
This study examines the relationships between illness perceptions and
illness-related distress among adults with type 2 diabetes. Research
participants (N = 615) were randomly selected from a primary care database
in New Zealand. Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire survey
and review of medical records. The primary outcome was diabetes-related
psychological distress measured using the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID)
scale. Multiple regression analyses controlling for age, clinical characteristics,
and mental health showed that illness perceptions accounted for 15% of
differences in distress about diabetes (F change (4,462) = 35.37, p < .001).
Poor mental health and illness severity alone do not explain differences
in diabetes-related emotional adjustment. Results suggest that ‘making
sense’ of diabetes may be central to successfully managing the emotional
consequences of diabetes.
Citation
New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 2010, 39 (1), pp. 45 - 50
Date
2010
Publisher
New Zealand Psychological Society
http://www.psychology.org.nz/cms_show_download.php?id=525