A biopsychosocial treatment approach to the management of diabetes mellitus.
The relationship among recent life stress, social support, a patient's locus of control, and the control of blood glucose is evaluated in persons with diabetes mellitus, using objective measures of these psychosocial variables. Short-term [fasting blood sugar (FBS)] and long-term [glycosylated hemoglobin (Hgb A-1C)] control measures are taken at two points in time in order to evaluate the effects of the psychosocial variables on change in diabetes control. For life events, a significant positive association was found between the number of recent life events and blood glucose control. Decrease in social support predicted a worsening of longer-term (Hgb A-1C) control over time. An external locus of control within the patient was associated both with poor short-term control at time one and prediction of poorer long-term control over time. The implications of these findings are discussed in support of a biopsychosocial approach to the management of diabetes mellitus.
Schwartz
L S
LS
Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.
Coulson
L R
LR
Toovy
D
D
Lyons
J S
JS
Flaherty
J A
JA
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008016:Life Change Events; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin