The extended health belief model applied to the experience of diabetes in young people.
OBJECTIVE
The experience of diabetes in young people was investigated within the theoretical framework of the extended health belief model (EHBM). It was anticipated that participant reports of high internal locus of control, high diabetes related empowerment, coping with hypoglycaemia, and diabetes related social support would be associated with good patient adherence to the self-care regime.


METHODS
118 participants aged 16-25 years with Type 1 diabetes mellitus were sent a set of questionnaires incorporating previously published scales measuring all variables of the EHBM.


RESULTS
High levels of family support and low locus of control beliefs in powerful others to control their diabetes reduce the young person's perception of severity and vulnerability to diabetes related complications. High internal locus of control beliefs and high levels of self-efficacy predicted the benefits of adhering to the self-care regime as outweighing the costs of doing so. Adherence to self-care regime was predicted by high levels of family support.


CONCLUSIONS
The final model explained 12% of the variance in the young person's adherence to diabetes self-care regime. It is proposed that the EHBM is an adequate model for understanding the socio-psychological factors present in the young person's appraisal of their diabetes, which, in turn, influences adherence to the diabetes self-care regime.
Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Rachel.Gillibrand@uwe.ac.uk
Rachel
R
Gillibrand
Jim
J
Stevenson
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003463:Cues; D003469:Culture; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires