Health beliefs and stress among non-insulin dependent diabetes out-patients in a rural teaching hospital in South Africa: research

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the health beliefs and stress among non-insulin dependent diabetes out patients. The sample included 60 respectively, 20 (33%) males and 40 (67%) females within the age range of 41 to 76 (Mean age 61 years, SD = 8.5) from a rural teaching hospital (Mankweng) in Limpopo Province of South Africa. Main outcome measures included the exploratory illness interview schedule, the perception of diabetes mellitus questionnaire and the questionnaire on stress in patients with diabetes-revised. Psychosocial stresses were found to have an important impact on the life of the diabetics. 'Leisure time' was identified as the most important stress factor, followed by physical complications resulting from the disease and the way diabetes affect the relationship with their partners. Most study participants emphasised medical treatment and only used alternative treatments as secondary strategies. A number of diabetic patients suffer from considerable psychosocial stress sometimes associated with poor diabetic control. These patients need psychosocial care incorporating both the patients' family and family background. Health care providers need to consider using different counselling strategies to motivate patients to comply with the treatment regimen and use the self-perception of compliance held by patients to consolidate progress being made by the patient, to enhance self-esteem and further improve overall patient functioning.



Die doel van die navorsing was om die oortuigings oor gesondheid en stres van buitepasiënte wat ly aan nie insulien afhanklike diabetes na te vors. Die steekproef het uit sestig pasiënte van die plattelandse navorsingshospitaal Mankweng in die Limpopo Provinsie in Suid-Afrika bestaan. Van die 60 proefpersone was 20 (33%) manlik en 40 (67%) vroulik in die ouderdomsgroep van 41 tot 76 jaar (Gemiddelde ouderdom van 61 jaar en standaardafwyking van 8.5). Die instrumente waarvan gebruik gemaak is, was die volgende: ";Exploratory Illness Review Schedule";, ";Perception of Diabetes Mellitus Questionnaire"; en ";The Questionnaire On Stress in patients with Diabetes-revised";. Daar is bevind dat psigososiale stressors `n groot invloed op die lewe van diabete het. Die belangrikste stres faktor was vryetyd. Daarnaas was fisieke komplikasies as gevolg van die siekte en die invloed van die siekte op die verhouding van die pasiënte met hul lewensmaats ook redes vir stres. Die meeste pasiënte het die belangrikheid van die gebruik van medikasie beklemtoon en het alternatiewe medisyne slegs as sekondêre strategie gebruik. `n Aantal pasiënte het gely aan erge psigososiale stres wat geassosieer word met swak kontrole van diabetes. Hierdie pasiënte benodig psigososiale versorging wat beide die pasiënt se familie en die familie agtergrond insluit. Gesondheidsversorgers behoort verskillende beradingsstrategieë te gebruik om pasiënte te motiveer om behandel te word. Pasiënte se aanvaarding van berading en samewerking is bepalend vir die konsolidering van die pasiënt se vordering, verbeterde selfbeeld en algemene funksionering.


(Health SA Gesondheid : interdisciplinary research journal: 2002 7(4): 38-46)