title: Meaning of Illness and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between meaning of illness and cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  
  The sample population was recruited from primary care clinics in the southeastern United States. The meaning of illness was assessed by a validated questionnaire with 5 subscales. The primary outcomes were cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, assessed by A1C, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Multivariate linear regression models investigated associations between the clinical outcomes and the 5 MIQ factors, controlling for possible confounders.
  
  
  
  The sample comprised 302 black and white participants of whom more than half were elderly (65+ years) and the vast majority were male (98%). Systolic blood pressure was positively associated with non-anticipated vulnerability. Diastolic blood pressure was negatively associated with degree of stress/change in commitments and positively associated with challenge/motivation/hope and non-anticipated vulnerability. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly and negatively associated with degree of stress/change in commitments.
  
  
  
  Meaning of illness had a significant effect on measured outcomes of CVD risk. The specific factor included in the overarching concept of meaning of illness differed in its influence, with more positive views of stress/commitments associated with lower blood pressure and LDL but more positive views of the challenge/hope/motivation and negative views of non-anticipated vulnerability associated with diabetes associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Health Equity and Rural Outreach Innovation Center (HEROIC), Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Center for Health Disparities Research, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Egede)
authors.forename: Cheryl P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Disparities Research, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Egede)
authors.forename: Joni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strom Williams
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Disparities Research, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Egede)
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Voronca
authors.affiliation: Health Equity and Rural Outreach Innovation Center (HEROIC), Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Center for Health Disparities Research, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)
authors.forename: Rebekah J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Health Equity and Rural Outreach Innovation Center (HEROIC), Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Center for Health Disparities Research, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Walker, Dr Egede)|Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Lynch, Dr Williams, Ms Voronca, Dr Egede)
authors.forename: Leonard E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Egede
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human