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

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 (beta = 0.40, p < 0.001 and beta = -0.22, p < 0.01, respectively). Among males, only personal control remained significant, explaining 13.9 percent of the variance in hemoglobin A1c (beta = 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.

Automated summary

This study found that among females with type 1 diabetes, illness perception personal control and coping strategy seeking emotional social support explained 23.2% of the variance in hemoglobin A1c, while among males, personal control remained significant and explained 13.9% of the variance. The associations between psychological aspects and hemoglobin A1c suggest that addressing these aspects clinically may help improve metabolic control and reduce the risk of complications.