title: Self-care activities and glycated haemoglobin in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes: can coping styles and social support have a buffering role?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes self-care is a key element in the overall management of diabetes. However, the importance of psychosocial factors for successful disease management is under investigated. This study aimed at exploring the role of coping styles and social support in the relationship between self-care activities and glycated haemoglobin in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred adults (60% female, aged 40-70 years) with type 2 diabetes completed questionnaires assessing self-care activities, coping styles and social support. In addition, a blood test was performed to obtain glycated haemoglobin levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Result showed significant relationships of glycated haemoglobin with self-care activities, coping styles and social support. Regression analysis indicated that social support had a moderating role on the relationship between self-care activities and glycated haemoglobin, such that, at very high levels of social support the association, between Self-Care and HbA1c disappears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate that health care providers, within the context of the Iranian social and cultural situation, should pay more attention to psychosocial factors when addressing self-care activities. Delineation of the role of coping styles and social support might be useful for identifying patients in need of particular counselling and support for improving self-care activities and HbA1c levels.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shayeghian
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Vafaie
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Besharat
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parvin
authors.forename: Kobra Roohi
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Gillani
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassanabadi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin
keywords: coping styles; self-care activities; social support; type 2 diabetes mellitus