Psychosocial factors and diabetes-related outcomes following diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in adults: the Edinburgh Prospective Diabetes Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine prospectively the relationships between psychosocial variables and diabetes-related outcomes in adults with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
A total of 84 adults (48 male) with a median (range) age of 30.8 (17-51) years with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes were recruited for the study. Shortly after initial diagnosis each participant's personality, cognitive ability, and recent psychiatric distress were assessed. At 4 months (n = 69) and at 12 months (n = 66) after diagnosis diabetes-related outcomes were measured, including each respondent's knowledge of diabetes, satisfaction with diabetes treatment and diabetes-related quality of life. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was recorded at each clinic attendance.


RESULTS
Social class (Spearman's correlation r = -0.30 and -0.28, respectively, P < 0.05) and scores on the National Adult Reading Test (r = 0.38 and 0.36, respectively, P < 0.01) were consistently associated with knowledge of diabetes at 4 months and at 12 months after diagnosis. Hierarchical regression revealed that alcohol consumption recorded at diagnosis and knowledge of diabetes at 4 months were independent predictors of glycaemic control at 12 months (adjusted r2 = 0.16). Total scores on the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) at 12 months were significantly predicted by age at diagnosis (adjusted r2 = 0.08). High neuroticism at diagnosis was consistently associated with poorer self-reported diabetes quality of life at 4 months and at 12 months after diagnosis (rs between -0.30 and -0.39, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-standing psychosocial factors have a significant influence on self-reported outcomes during the 12 months following diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes but may not be reliable predictors of glycaemic control. Further follow-up is necessary to determine the longer-term predictors of objective (e.g. glycaemic control) and subjective (e.g. quality of life) indicators of coping in people with diabetes.
Taylor
M D
MD
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Frier
B M
BM
Gold
A E
AE
Deary
I J
IJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010551:Personality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life