Relationship beliefs and illness appraisals are differentially associated with specific ways of coping in spouses of patients with type 2 diabetes

Using data from 117 spouses of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and multiple-group path analysis, the current study explored the association of four relationship beliefs (satisfaction, sacrifice, confidence and instability) and four diabetes appraisals (consequences, distress, control and efficacy) with illness-specific coping behaviour: active engagement, protective buffering and overprotection. The potential moderating effect of gender was also tested. Results indicated gender did moderate the associations among the variables in the model, with the association of relationship satisfaction and active engagement being significantly stronger for men, while diabetes control was more strongly related to protective buffering for women. The only variables associated with active engagement were three relationship-specific cognitions: higher levels of relationship satisfaction (for men only), satisfaction with sacrifice and relationship confidence were all related to higher active engagement. The diabetes appraisals were the only variables associated with protective buffering and overprotection. Higher diabetes distress and diabetes control (for women only) and lower diabetes efficacy were predictive of greater protective buffering. Lower diabetes efficacy and higher diabetes control were associated with greater overprotection. Implications for theory, research and practice are discussed.     

Associations between type of treatment and illness-specific locus of control in type 1 diabetes patients

Abstract

This study examined differences in diabetes-specific locus of control beliefs of 82 insulin-treated Type I diabetes patients undergoing either conventional therapy (CT), intensified conventional therapy (ICT) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Compared to CT with its adherence to a strict regimen, ICT and CSII allow a much greater flexibility in timing of meals and daily activities. On the other hand, such flexibility requires a much more active role of the patient. The hypotheses of higher internality and lower powerful others locus of control beliefs in ICT and CSII patients than in CT patients could be supported for powerful others locus of control only. A one-year follow-up replicated this finding. Furthermore, high powerful others locus of control was associated with low diabetes-related knowledge and poor glycaemic control. The relevance of the patients' experience with the respective treatment is examined in view of the results and implications for studies on the feasibility of diabetes regimens are discussed.     

Don't derogate this message! Self-affirmation promotes online type 2 diabetes risk test taking

The aim of the present study was to examine whether self-affirmation promotes acceptance of threatening type 2 diabetes information and risk-testing behaviour. In an experimental study (N = 84), we manipulated self-affirmation by allowing participants to affirm a value that was either personally important or unimportant to them, and measured participants' risk level prior to reading threatening type 2 diabetes information. As dependent variables, we measured message derogation, intentions to do an online type 2 diabetes risk test and online risk-testing behaviour. Findings showed that self-affirmation decreased message derogation, increased intentions to do an online risk test and promoted online risk test taking among at-risk participants. Among participants not at-risk, self-affirmation decreased intentions and online risk test taking. Therefore, it is concluded, that for an at-risk population self-affirmation can decrease defensive responses to threatening health information and promote (online) risk test taking for diseases.     

Social support,strain, and glycemic control: A path analysis

Social support and strain have been linked with many health outcomes. However, less is known about whether these psychosocial factors are associated with Type 2 diabetes risk. This study uses the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) dataset to examine the relationship between social support and strain from friends, family members, and spouse/partners and blood hemoglobin A1c levels in married/cohabiting adults who have not been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, health locus of control is examined as a possible mediator. The study's findings suggest that support from friends is negatively associated with HbA1c levels, indicating a relationship between better glycemic control and social support from friends, and an indirect association for spouse/partner support. A direct effect for internal health locus of control was also found.     

Discriminative stimulus effects of diazepam and buspirone in normal volunteers.

A within-subject design was used to characterize the effects of dose manipulations on discriminative and self-reported effects of oral diazepam and buspirone. Subjects were trained to discriminate diazepam (10 mg) versus placebo (n = 10), or buspirone (10 or 15 mg) versus placebo (n = 9). The compounds were identified to subjects by letter code before discrimination training began. In later sessions, correct identifications at 2 hr after the oral administration of drug earned money. All subjects showed accurate discrimination performance during the test-of-acquisition phase. In a low-dose generalization phase, diazepam and buspirone produced dose-related increases in drug identifications across a four-fold range of doses. In a subsequent low-dose training phase, in which subjects were trained to discriminate progressively lower drug doses, the median lowest discriminable dose of diazepam and buspirone was 2.5 and 7.5 mg, respectively. Dose-response functions for drug identifications were shifted leftward in the low-dose training phase relative to the low-dose generalization phase, suggesting that reinforcement of progressively lower doses enhances drug discriminability. The self-reported effects of diazepam and buspirone were similar (e.g., both drugs increased ratings of drug strength and clumsy/uncoordinated) and different (e.g., diazepam but not buspirone increased ratings of drowsy/sleepy; buspirone but not diazepam increased ratings of tense/nervous). This study demonstrates discriminative and self-reported effects of diazepam and buspirone at doses lower than previously shown to be behaviorally active, and suggests that at commonly used clinical doses, diazepam is relatively more discriminable than buspirone.     

糖尿病血糖控制的理性思考

糖尿病是严重威胁人类健康的疾病之一,其发病率逐年增加。血糖控制是糖尿病治疗的基石。糖尿病的血糖控制要根据不同患者的具体情况,选择适宜的药物和治疗方案,平稳适度的控制血糖,以达到最有利于患者的治疗效果。用认识论和联系的观点对糖尿病血糖控制的依据、措施和目的进行综合分析。     

糖尿病专科护士在2型糖尿病防治中的作用与地位

当前我们对糖尿病防治措施和手段可以说是无所不先进,但患者血糖、血脂、血压达标情况仍旧令人担忧。防治领域的相关人员都在竭尽全力探讨其原因,结果令人失望。但是糖尿病作为慢性终生性习惯性疾病,当前几乎所有的有意义的研究均指向良好的生活习惯（饮食控制、增加体育锻炼）有利于减少糖尿病发病。糖尿病专科医生作为疾病防治的三级层面,很...     

心脑血管疾病防治观的上游与下游

促发心脑血管疾病的多重危险因素属于关系链的上游,糖尿病和代谢综合征属于中游,而心绞痛、心肌梗死和脑卒中属于疾病的下游,干预下游是一种高成本高风险的模式,如将干预重点转移到上游则风险不大,成本低廉,有充分的选择余地。     

糖尿病防治的几点认识

根据世界卫生组织的健康定义,健康是人的生理、心理和社会的协调一致,反之产生疾病。糖尿病在影响人们生理、心理健康的同时,影响着人们的生活方式、社会关系、收入和社会期望度。因此糖尿病的诊断和治疗必须考虑到患者的心理社会因素。临床医生应学会使用现代的生物心理社会模式,倡导正确的行为生活方式、落实连续性医疗服务、提高卫生服务整体效能、提供多方位社会支持、选择个体化的糖尿病治疗方案,针对性地进行糖尿病的防治。     

Camping Programs for Children with Chronic Illness as a Modality for Recreation, Treatment, and Evaluation: An Example of a Mission-Based Program Evaluation of a Diabetes Camp

Summer camps have been recognized as a valuable means of delivering services to children with chronic illnesses. Although these camps exist in abundance across the United States, they have been largely underrepresented in the clinical psychology literature. Particularly, there is a staggering discrepancy between the number of camps in existence and the number of published articles pertaining to the systematic evaluation of these camps. We outline the potential benefits of camping programs for children who are chronically ill, describe the importance of systematically evaluating them, and provide a model for this evaluative process. We describe an evaluation of a diabetes summer camp and present implications of this study for camp decision makers and clinical psychologists working in pediatric medical settings.