title: Good vs. poor self-rated diabetes control: differences in cardiovascular risk and self-care activities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess differences in cardiovascular risk and performance of self-care activities in people who rated their diabetes control as good or poor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sub-sample of 77 participants who took part in the Evaluation of Diabetes Treatment telephone interview were invited into a clinic to complete a series of laboratory examinations. Self-rated diabetes control was validated using the following laboratory markers: HbA1c, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio and LDL cholesterol. Differences in blood pressure and BMI were also assessed. Finally, all participants also completed the Summary of Self-Care activities questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those people who rated their diabetes control as fair or poor had a significantly higher BMI, HbA1c levels, total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio and systolic blood pressure. When asked about self-care activities in the past week, those people who reported their diabetes control was fair/poor had spent significantly fewer days following a general diet and exercising.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People with poor self-rated diabetes control have unfavourable cardiovascular risk and decreased performance of self-care activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rabasa-Lhoret
authors.affiliation: Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Strychar
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Karelis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clyde
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levasseur
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinaroc
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedneault
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schmitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin