Nonsupportive family members sabotage diabetes self-Care

[Northerner]

Diabetes patients with nonsupportive family members are less adherent to their diabetes medication regimen and have worse glycemic control, according to a study published online April 26 in Diabetes Care.

OBJECTIVE

We used a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationships between participants? perceptions of family members? diabetes self-care knowledge, family members? diabetes-specific supportive and nonsupportive behaviors, and participants? medication adherence and glycemic control (A1C).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Adults with type 2 diabetes participated in focus group sessions that discussed barriers and facilitators to diabetes management (n = 45) and/or completed surveys (n = 61) to collect demographic information, measures of diabetes medication adherence, perceptions of family members? diabetes self-care knowledge, and perceptions of family members? diabetes-specific supportive and nonsupportive behaviors. Most recent A1C was extracted from the medical record.

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2012/04/30/dc11-2103

 

[Robster65]

It's not a big surprise but it is important to quantify just how damaging a lack of support can be.

Since it generally requires lifestyle changes, they're almost impossible to make without the whole family joining in in some way.

I hope this study will help a few people to persuade their family/partner to help them.

Rob