GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DIABETES ATTITUDES AND ADHERENCE

This study focused on three questions: Is there a difference in melt's and women's diabetes attitudes? Do health professionals give differen t recommendations to men and women? Is there a difference between men and women in care adherence? A total of 1201 patients with diabetes we re surveyed; 65% of these patients were women. Differences in diabetes attitudes (three of seven attitudes) were most evident between men an d women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). No difference s were found in the attitudes of men and women with non-insulin-depend ent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using insulin, and only one attitude was different for patients with NIDDM not using insulin. Few differences were observed in the recommendations given by health professionals to men and women. Gender differences in adherence to the components of se lf-cam also were minimal. These findings may indicate that there am ma ny similarities in the reactions of men and women who have been diagno sed with diabetes.