Disturbed eating, illness perceptions, and coping among adults with type 1 diabetes on intensified insulin treatment, and their associations with metabolic control

• Published in: Journal of health psychology Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 688 - 700
• Main Authors: Wisting, Line, Rø, Astrid, Skrivarhaug, Torild, Dahl-Jørgensen, Knut, Rø, Øyvind
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.04.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Coping; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - psychology; Feeding Behavior; Female; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Hemoglobin; Humans; Insulin; Insulins; Male; Males; Men; Metabolic control; Metabolism; Personal control; Psychological aspects; Risk reduction; Social Support; Type 1 diabetes mellitus; eating disorders; diabetes; health psychology; coping; illness perception
• ISSN: 1359-1053; 1461-7277
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105319840688

This study investigated associations between psychological aspects and metabolic control among adults with type 1 diabetes (n = 282). Linear regression analyses demonstrated that the illness perception personal control and the coping strategy seeking emotional social support explained 23.2 percent of the variance in hemoglobin A1c among females (β = 0.40, p < 0.001 and β = −0.22, p < 0.01, respectively). Among males, only personal control remained significant, explaining 13.9 percent of the variance in hemoglobin A1c (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). The associations between psychological correlates and hemoglobin A1c indicate that addressing such aspects clinically may facilitate metabolic control, thereby potentially contributing to reduce the risk of complications.