How patients' attitudes and opinions influence self-care behaviours in type 2 diabetes. Insights from the French DIABASIS Survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the profiles of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) to identify sets of opinions and attitudes towards the disease that might influence self-care behaviours.


METHODS
Altogether, 1,092 patients with T2DM, aged 45 or older from a large representative French cohort, completed a self-questionnaire exploring their knowledge and perceptions of diabetes, its impact on various aspects of daily life and self-management practices. Canonical and cluster analyses were used to identify sets of homogeneous 'profiles' of patients linking attitudes and opinions to specific disease-related behaviours (such as changes in lifestyle, drug compliance, treatment satisfaction, impact on everyday life and weight gain).


RESULTS
Demographics of the T2DM study population were previously reported along with the main results (60% male; mean age: 66 years; mean age at diagnosis: 55 years; mean BMI: 29kg/m(2)). Five distinct patient types emerged from the typological approach: 'committed' (25%); 'carefree' (23%); 'bitter' (19%); 'disheartened' (19%); and 'overwhelmed' (15%). Each patient type defined a set of attitudes and beliefs towards T2DM that influenced disease-related behaviours, leading to different degrees of diabetes self-management.


CONCLUSIONS
The DIABASIS survey provides important information for diabetes care by identifying distinct patients' profiles that express different degrees of difficulty in implementing self-management. For this reason, patients in each category require different kinds of customized support from their physician to induce behavioural changes that may be key in improving their metabolic control.
Cochin Port-Royal Diabetes and Endocrine Center, AP-HP, Paris, France.
H
H
Mosnier-Pudar
G
G
Hochberg
E
E
Eschwege
S
S
Halimi
M-L
ML
Virally
P-J
PJ
Guillausseau
C
C
Touboul
S
S
Dejager
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic