Coping strategies in men and women with type 2 diabetes in Swedish primary care

Abstract

Based on findings regarding gender differences in the experience and complications of diabetes, we studied coping strategies in men and women with type 2 diabetes in relation to their demographic, medical, socio-economic and psychosocial situation. Altogether 232 Swedish-born type 2 diabetes patients aged 35–64 years at four primary health care centres in Stockholm County were studied, 121 men and 111 women. Coping strategies were assessed by the General Coping Questionnaire (GCG), which describes five orientations dichotomised into positive and negative opposites: self-trust/fatalism; problem focusing/resignation; cognitive revaluation/protest; social trust/isolation; and minimisation/intrusion. Socio-economic and medical data were taken both from a questionnaire and from medical records. Gender differences for the coping strategies resignation, protest and isolation were found ( p < 0.05), with higher scores for women. The most important medical factor associated with coping strategies was HbA1c. Other significant factors detected in the multivariate analyses were psychiatric disorder, cohabitation and daily smoking. Thus, coping strategies and gender are important factors that should be addressed more in diabetes health care.