MOTIVATION AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN DIABETES-MELLITUS

Although adherence to treatment regimes is clinically important in dia betes mellitus, the best way to improve it is unclear. As a precursor to evaluating the place of a brief intervention (motivational intervie wing) in the treatment of diabetes, this study investigated the relati on between motivation and glycemic control in 361 diabetic out-patient s. Outcome measures were the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) and HbA(1C) level-a measure pf glycemic con trol. The majority of patients (86.7%) could be allocated to a single motivational stage, indicating that this concept is applicable in the study of diabetes. There were significant associations between HbA(1C) level and motivational stage, but not in the direction predicted. Tha t is, patients at an earlier motivational stage had lower HbA(1C) leve ls than those at later stages. The results suggest that feedback of Hb A(1C) level may partly determine the patient's motivation to control t heir diabetes, although the effect is quite weak. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience Inc.