Disturbed eating, illness perceptions, and coping among adults with type 1 diabetes on intensified insulin treatment, and their associations with metabolic control

Abstract

This study investigated associations between psychological aspects and metabolic control among adults with type 1 diabetes ( n = 282). Linear regression analyses demonstrated that the illness perception personal control and the coping strategy seeking emotional social support explained 23.2 percent of the variance in hemoglobin A1c among females ( β = 0.40, p < 0.001 and β = −0.22, p < 0.01, respectively). Among males, only personal control remained significant, explaining 13.9 percent of the variance in hemoglobin A1c ( β = 0.37, p < 0.001). The associations between psychological correlates and hemoglobin A1c indicate that addressing such aspects clinically may facilitate metabolic control, thereby potentially contributing to reduce the risk of complications.