The Psychological Impact of Living With Diabetes Women's Day-to-Day Experiences

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this study is to understand the feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger experienced by women with type 2 diabetes and the impact these feelings have on their overall quality of life.Methods-Four focus groups (2 white, 2 African American) were conducted by ethnically matched professional moderators. Sessions were audiotaped, and transcriptions were analyzed using an inductive approach. Forty-one women (mean age, 55.6 years; SD = 7.9) who had type 2 diabetes for an average of 8.7 years (SD = 6.3) participated. Forty-two percent of the sample was African American.Results-The themes generated directly from the focus group data are (1) struggling with the changing health situation; (2) encountering challenges in relationships with self, family, and others; (3) worrying about the present and future;(4) bearing multiple responsibilities for self and others; and (5) choosing to take a break. Women also expressed feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, which were primarily related to having diabetes as well as managing the multiple responsibilities of being a caregiver. There were more similarities than differences noted by race.Conclusions-Women with type 2 diabetes experience feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, which affect their health and overall quality of life. The findings suggest that health care providers should assess the psychological health of women with type 2 diabetes when developing plans of care. By understanding and addressing the emotional health of women with type 2 diabetes, the relationships between the patient, family, and health care provider may improve, allowing for more successful diabetes management.Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity in the United States. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in persons with diabetes. 1 Diabetes is the only disease that causes women to have the same prevalence of heart disease as men. 2 While cardiac mortality for men with diabetes has declined (13.1%), there has been a 23% increase in ageadjusted cardiac mortality for women with diabetes. 3 This poor outcome, occurring in a time of significant advances in the management of heart disease, suggests the need to consider Depression is an independent risk factor for CVD and is associated with poorer selfmanagement and decreased health-related quality of life. [4][5][6] Approximately 25% of persons with diabetes have depression, and the rate of depression in women with diabetes is double that of men with diabetes. 2,4,7 Women with diabetes exhibit poorer diabetes self-care, glycemic control, and quality of life than men with diabetes. These outcomes are further exacerbated by depression. 8 Other affective symptoms, such as anxiety and anger, that commonly accompany depressive symptoms 9,10 appear to impose similar risks for poor medical outcomes and occur more often in women with diabetes than men with diabetes. 11Most diabetes self-management programs have a component that may briefly address selfcare strategies for dysphoric symptoms, particu...

Qualidade de vida e características dos pacientes diabéticos

“…Regarding the PSF group, the results of this study showed that, despite women attending more to health services, they had more chance of having a worse quality of life. This data corroborates with the study of Penckofer et al 29 that showed that the overload of responsibility towards support for the family is a factor that contributes to the non effectuation of the selfcare. Krug et al 30 found that marriage and care of children made women stop performing physical activity.…”

The perspectives of Brazilian homemakers concerning living with type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…the disease and what they actually do are important factors related to how DM2 is integrated into their daily lifestyles (13)(14) . Decisions regarding adherence to dietary restrictions and other care components are highly variable and depend on the immediate situation and how the women rationalize their choices (23) .…”

“…Others examine risk factors associated with the development of DM2 (12)(13) ; psychological impact (14)(15) ; family support (9,16) ; quality of life (17) ; treatment adherence (18) ; and metabolic control of DM2 (19) . There is little information, however, on how women integrate or negotiate DM2 healthrelated demands with the needs of their families.…”

Anxiety and diabetes: Innovative approaches to management in primary care

“…38,39 First, there is robust evidence that individuals experience symptoms of anxiety when they are diagnosed with diabetes. 38,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46] A diagnosis of diabetes may induce anxiety because individuals perceive that the disease will necessitate undesirable lifestyle changes, cause them to lose control over their health, and lead to diabetes-related complications, such as diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, sexual dysfunction, and macrovascular complications. 47 Second, the daily management of diabetes may result in the experience of anxiety.…”