1Ex-Resident, Department of Psychiatry, Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central, Mumbai 400008, Maharashtra, India
2Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central, Mumbai 400008, Maharashtra, India
3Professor and Head, Department of Endocrinology, Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central, Mumbai 400008, Maharashtra, India
Email id: *metinni@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 28 August, 2014.
Diabetes mellitus type I (DM I) is an early-onset chronic illness, which may often lead to psychopathology in patients if pertinent issues are not timely addressed.
We performed an intervention that attempted to increase knowledge about and adjustment to illness, and improve self-esteem of DM I patients; we also studied correlation of these parameters with gender and age of the patients, duration under treatment and severity of illness.
This was a prospective study with 30 subjects; intervention was in the form of four sessions mainly focusing on the psychoeducation and improving the coping skills. A semi-structured proforma, ATT-19, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and Knowledge about Diabetes Questionnaire were used for evaluation. The collected data were statistically analysed.
Our study showed the intervention to be effective in all parameters. It was equally effective for both genders. Younger patients and patients under treatment for lesser duration had more improvement in knowledge about the illness. Patients with poorly controlled disease improved more in knowledge about illness, while those with moderately controlled disease improved more in adjustment to illness and self-esteem.
Psycho-education and coping skills training are recommended for DM I patients to ensure healthy psychological functioning while living with this chronic illness.
Diabetes mellitus type I, Intervention, Knowledge, Adjustment, Self-esteem
