ABSTRACT
Using cross-sectional data from two samples of adult patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 123 and n = 111), we used an embodiment perspective to examine whether health experiences were related to the extent of individuals' dissatisfaction with their bodies. The nature and strength of associations differed across the two unique samples examined, but weight status had the strongest and most robust association with body dissatisfaction in both samples. None of the associations differed as a function of gender or age. These findings contribute to an understanding of the complex relationship between physical and mental health in the context of diabetes.
Subject(s)
Body Dissatisfaction , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Adult , Humans , Body Image/psychology , Body Weight , Cross-Sectional Studies , Patient SatisfactionABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to establish whether suboptimal self-management explains the relationship between stressful life events and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and whether these relationships differ across race/ethnicity. METHODS: Participants were 6,368 adolescents enrolled in the U.S. T1D Exchange registry. The outcome, HbA1c, was chart-based; predictors and covariates were self-reported. Moderated mediation was tested using Mplus, adjusting for gender, age, insulin treatment modality, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Higher frequency of missed insulin doses and lower frequency of daily self-monitoring of blood glucose partially explained the relationship between past-year stressful life events and higher HbA1c. Mediation by self-monitoring of blood glucose was detected for those who identified as white non-Hispanic and Hispanic, but not for those who identified as African American. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescents, there is some evidence for a behavioral mechanism in the stressor-HbA1c relationship. African American youth may be more resilient against some detrimental behavioral effects of stressors.
