Partner Involvement in Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

Abstract

Researchers have recognized the role of social environment in diabetes management, with substantial attention directed toward spouses or romantic partners of people with diabetes. However, the specific ways in which partners are involved have not been articulated. This study, which included 207 couples in which one person was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, used a mixed-methods approach to assess types of partner involvement in diabetes management. First, different types of partner involvement were qualitatively identified from audiotaped interviews, and links between qualitative findings and demographics were examined. Next, qualitative codes were compared with quantitative measures of partner involvement. Finally, relations of qualitative codes to relationship quality and diabetes outcomes were assessed. Qualitative analyses identified three ways in which partners were involved in diabetes management (support provision, collaboration, and controlling behavior) and two ways in which they were not involved (independent coping and disengagement on the part of the person with diabetes). Participants with diabetes perceived less partner involvement than their partners. Comparisons with quantitative measures revealed that collaboration was distinct from partner support. Reports from participants with diabetes of collaboration, but not partner support, were connected to higher relationship quality and lower A1C, whereas partner reports of collaboration were related to better self-care. Diabetes disengagement was associated with poorer relationship and behavioral outcomes. These findings underscore the varied ways in which partners are and are not involved in diabetes management and suggest that collaboration is more beneficial than social support in terms of relationship quality and diabetes outcomes.

Longitudinal trajectories of treatment burden: A prospective survey study of adults living with multiple chronic conditions in the midwestern United States

“…Emerging evidence in diabetes is showing that communal coping, that is, collaborative interactions between patients and their partners focused on achieving self-management goals, is associated with better self-care and disease outcomes. 45 Finally, declining physical and mental health may foreshadow an increase in treatment burden, especially increased impact of self-management on well-being. However, it may be more challenging to modify these in those experiencing an exacerbation of a health condition.…”

Self Awareness Regarding Effect of Diabetes and Management in Patients Suffering from Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and 2

“…If patients start controlling their diet, stop eating those things which increase level of sugar in their bodies, they can overcome this issue and control level of diabetes in their body [4]. If patients will start reducing their diet which include sugar, about 38% risk of heart failure and 20% risk of mortality will be decreased [5]. They said that after interviews, they gave oral session to diabetic patients mainly to those who was suffering with type 2 diabetes, after this they have seen positive results [6].…”