Predictors of psychological well-being in Types 1 and 2 diabetes

Psychological well-being and individuals representations of their illness w ere assessed for 96 patients with Type 1 diabetes and 139 patients with Typ e 2 diabetes who attended a hospital diabetic clinic for an annual check-up . Metabolic control (HbA1c) and the presence of diabetic complications (ret inopathy, neuropathy, hypertension and nephropathy) were also recorded. Typ e 2 patients, as expected, tended to be older and be experiencing more comp lications than Type 1 patients. Consistent with previous findings, women re ported lower well-being than men. Type 1 and Type 2 patients did not differ in terms of well-being, but the predictors of well-being were somewhat dif ferent in the two groups. In both groups, well-being was related to control beliefs (confidence in selfmanagement and ability to delay complications) and to lower ratings of the extent to which diabetes interfered with everyd ay activities. For Type 1 patients only, well-being also related to a tende ncy to perceive their diabetes as having minimal impact on their lives. Met abolic control showed no consistent relationship with psychological variabl es, but the number of complications significantly predicted lower well-bein g among Type 2 patients only. It is argued that well-being is a function bo th of illness representations and the actual experience of complications, w hich are more prevalent among those with Type 2 than Type 1 diabetes.