Influence of patient attachment style on self-care and outcomes in diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Difficulties collaborating with providers and important others may adversely influence self-management in patients with diabetes. We predicted that dismissing attachment style, characterized by high interpersonal self-reliance and low trust of others, would be associated with poorer self-management in patients with diabetes.


METHODS
A population-based mail survey was sent to all patients with diabetes from nine primary care clinics of a health maintenance organization. We collected data on attachment style, self-care behaviors, the patient provider relationship and depression status and accessed automated diagnostic, pharmacy, and laboratory data to measure diabetes treatment intensity, medical comorbidity, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and diabetes complications. We used logistic regression to determine whether dismissing attachment style was associated with poorer diabetes self-care behaviors, adherence to medication, smoking status, and higher glycosylated hemoglobin.


RESULTS
In 4095 primary care patients with diabetes, prevalence rates for secure, dismissing, preoccupied, and fearful attachment styles were 44.2%, 35.8%, 7.9%, and 12.1%, respectively. When compared with secure attachment style, dismissing attachment style was associated with significantly lower levels of exercise (p =.005), foot care (p <.05), diet (p =.001), and adherence to oral hypoglycemic medications (p <.05), and with higher rates of smoking (p <.05), and these associations were mediated through the patient-provider relationship. Preoccupied attachment style, characterized by overreliance on others, was associated with a significantly lower risk of having glycosylated hemoglobin levels >8%, compared with secure attachment style.


CONCLUSIONS
Attachment style is significantly associated with diabetes self-management and outcomes.
Ciechanowski
Paul
P
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 356560, 1959 N. E. Pacific, Seattle, WA 98195-6560, USA. pavelcie@u.washington.edu
Russo
Joan
J
Katon
Wayne
W
Von Korff
Michael
M
Ludman
Evette
E
Lin
Elizabeth
E
Simon
Gregory
G
Bush
Terry
T
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents