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This dissertation, Psychosocial Correlates of Illness Control and Adjustment in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus by Chun-yin, Julia, Lam, 林駿瑛, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of thesis entitled Psychosocial Correlates of Illness Control and Adjustment in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus submitted by Julia Lam Chun Yin for the degree of Master of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in August 1997 Diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness which requires patients to make lifestyle changes in their daily living to integrate the complex treatment regimen as well as to maintain an optimal level of functioning. The extent to which the illness affects the physical health, psychosocial functioning and quality of life of the afflicted has been a focus in diabetic research. This thesis aims to explore the outcome patterns in patients with diabetes mellitus and to identify factors which may differentiate patients with good and poor physical and psychosocial adjustment. The physical and psychosocial adjustment of 100 young diabetic patients attending the K.K. Leung Diabetes Center at Queen Mary Hospital between June and October 1995 were assessed with a battery of psychosocial measures. The mean age of the subjects was 30.4 years, comprising 37 males and 63 females. The subjects' medical outcomes were assessed through their hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, frequency of hyper- and hypoglycemic episodes in the previous month, number of hospitalizations in the previous year, presence of diabetic-related complications, and current physical complaints. The psychosocial outcomes measured included the patients' quality of life, the impact of diabetes on daily life functioning, perceived distress and difficulties with the diabetic illness and general psychological well-being. A number of psychosocial variables including knowledge of diabetes, level of compliance to treatment regimen, available social and family support, locus of control and life events experienced were assessed. The outcome measures were factor analyzed. Medical outcomes comprised two factors, one being the more persistent medical condition like number of diabetic complications and frequency of hospitalizations; the other being the shorter-term state indicator of adequacy of glucose control. These two factors accounted for forty-nine percent of the total variance of medical outcome. Psychosocial outcomes comprised three factors, namely the attitudes towards having diabetes, overall psychological well-being, and the impact of diabetes on daily living. These three factors accounted for sixty-three percent of the total variance of psychosocial outcome. The results point to the multidimensionality of the diabetic outcome. Variables associated with good versus poor diabetic outcome are indices of knowledge of diabetes, compliance to treatment regimen, locus of control, availability of social and family support, and stressful life events experienced. Basing on the findings of the study, we have a better understanding of the outcome patterns of a group of young diabetic patients in Hong Kong. The findings of the association between subjects' psychosocial status and their illness outcome in terms of subjects' physical and psychosocial adjustment to the diabetic illness also shed light on how illness adjustment can be improved. DOI: 10.5353/th_b2987303 Subjects: Diabetics - China - Hong Kong - PsychologyDiabetics - Social aspects - China - Hong KongDiabetics

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