Relations of Well-Being, Coping Styles, Perception of Self-Influence on the Diabetes Course and Sociodemographic Characteristics with HbA1c and BMI Among People with Advanced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PURPOSE: Assessment of the relationship between psychological and sociodemographic factors with the levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Body Mass Index (BMI) among people with advanced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2574 persons, among them 1381 (53.7%) women, with type 2 diabetes, during the period of switching from biphasic mixtures of human insulin to insulin analogues. The age of participants ranged from 22 to 94 years (M = 63.5; SD = 9.58), and their treatment period was in the time frame from 2 years to 43 years (M = 10.2; SD = 6.1). Participants filled out a Scale for Perception of Self-Influence on the Diabetes Course, Well-Being Index WHO-5, two questions from the Brief Method of Evaluating Coping with a Disease. RESULTS: Statistically significant correlations were found between the HbA1c levels and (1) disease duration (r(s)=0.067; p < 0.001); (2) number of complications (r(s) = 0.191, p < 0.001) (3) the perception of self-influence on the diabetes course (r(s)=- 0.16; p < 0.001); (4) well-being (risk of depression) (r(s)=- 0.10; p < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that 7% of HbA1c variability is explained by age, a perception of self-influence on the diabetes course, the number of complications, place of residence, education, BMI. The most important findings concerning BMI were found in regression analysis, which indicated a week relationship between BMI and a number of complications, perception of self-influence on the diabetes course and coping styles (3% of the resultes' variability). The group at high risk of depression had the highest levels of HbA1c. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic and psychological factors show weak but statistically significant relationships with the current levels of HbA1c and BMI.