DIET AND DIABETES .1. ASSESSING DIETARY SELF-CARE IN PATIENTS WITH INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES

Diet is an important component of the management of Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), yet it has been difficult to obtain effectiv e measures of dietary management. Two studies were conducted assessing the frequency and antecedents of problems in dietary self-care in IDD M. In study one the Diet Problem Setting Inventory (DPSI), a self-repo rt inventor assessing the settings in which poor dietary management oc cur, was developed. One hundred and thirty-seven individuals with IDDM completed the DPSI, and a factor analysis revealed three internally c onsistent factors. In study two, 41, IDDM patients self-monitored, and were interviewed daily about their diet, to ascertain the frequency a nd antecedents of problems in dietary self-care. Subjects also complet ed the DPSI twice to assess its test-retest reliability. The total sco re on the DPSI showed high test-retest reliability, and moderate conve rgent validity with self-monitored dietary management. The more intens ive self-monitoring assessment Provided greater information on the set tings in which poor dietary management occurred. It was concluded that global self-report inventories, such as the DPSI, have value as scree ning instruments, but that self-monitoring provides additional informa tion of clinical utility.