title: Household composition and psychological health: Results of the Second Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN2) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  1) To explore the effect of household composition on the psychological health of adults with diabetes by comparing those living with other adult(s) including a partner with those living with neither partner nor other adult(s); 2) to examine potential mediation of social support in the association between household composition and psychological health.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is part of the DAWN2 study conducted in 17 countries. The population comprised 8596 people with diabetes (PWD). Multiple regression models (linear and binary) were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People living with 'other adult(s) but no partner' experienced significantly lower well-being, higher diabetes distress and worried more frequently about hypoglycaemic events than those with a partner or those not co-habiting with another adult. However, participants living with 'other adult(s) but no partner' were more empowered compared to the other household composition groups. The association between household composition and psychological health was not mediated by diabetes-specific social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicates the psychological vulnerability of respondents living without a partner but with other adult(s). Appropriate support interventions must be developed and tested in order to enhance psychological health in people with diabetes living with other adults such as adult children, but with no partner.
authors.affiliation: Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark. Electronic address: ljoe@steno.dk.
authors.forename: Lene E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Joensen
authors.affiliation: Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Willaing
authors.affiliation: University of South Hampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Richard I G
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wens
authors.affiliation: Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skovlund
authors.affiliation: Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peyrot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011209:Power, Psychological; D000072858:Psychosocial Support Systems; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Diabetes; Household composition; Psychological health; Social network; Social support