Health in patients with Type 2 diabetes: an interview study based on the Welfare Theory of Health.
BACKGROUND
In his Welfare Theory of Health Nordenfelt describes health as a person's ability to fulfil vital goals in different life areas. In order to use the theory in nursing, a semi-structured interview guide was constructed including questions about which vital goals Type 2 diabetic patients have and believe are important for their own welfare in different life areas.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to carry out preliminary validation of the interview guide. Two hypotheses were formulated: (i) Dissatisfied or unhealthy diabetic persons score lower on health-related quality of life (HRQL) than do those classified as healthy; (ii) A person with diabetes who uses avoidance as his/her main coping strategy restructures his/her vital goals in order to avoid failure and thereby dissatisfaction increases.


METHODS
Interviews with 155 randomly selected Type 2 diabetic patients were conducted using the interview guide. HRQL and coping were also measured. The interview data were analysed using content analysis.


RESULTS
The results were in accordance with the health theory, i.e. a person with Type 2 diabetes may be unhealthy, but still satisfied with life as a whole. Our two hypotheses were confirmed: Dissatisfied or unhealthy subjects with Type 2 diabetes had HRQL scores in all domains but physical functioning and bodily pain that were lower than scores of those who were satisfied or healthy, and a person with Type 2 diabetes who uses avoidance as his/her main coping strategy does seem to restructure his/her vital goals to avoid failure.


CONCLUSIONS
The theory-based interview guide tested in this study seemed to reflect the notion that health includes fulfilment of vital goals.
Snellman
Ingrid
I
Department of Caring and Public Health Sciences, Mälardalens Högskola, Eskilstuna, Sweden. ingrid.snellman@mdh.se
Wikblad
Karin
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013548:Sweden