Health Locus of Control in Patients With Graves-Basedow Disease and Hashimoto Disease and Their Acceptance of Illness

Abstract

BackgroundAdaptation to a chronic somatic disease depends on a variety of factors, including belief in health locus of control.ObjectivesCorrelation between health locus of control and illness acceptance in patients with Graves-Basedow and Hashimoto diseases as well as correlation between health locus of control, illness acceptance, sex, and age.Patients and MethodsThree methods were applied: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale by K.A. Wallston, B.S. Wallston and R. DeVellis; the Acceptance of Illness Scale by B.J. Felton, T.A. Revenson, and G.A. Hinrichsena; and a personal questionnaire. Two groups were subject to the research: 68 patients with Graves-Basedow disease and 54 patients with Hashimoto disease.ResultsPatients with Graves-Basedow disease, women above all, have their health locus of control in other persons (P = 0,001) and are less inclined to accept their illness (P = 0,005) when compared to patients with Hashimoto disease. A statistically significant correlation occurred between the age of patients and external (i.e., in other persons) health locus of control.ConclusionsBeliefs in health locus of control and type of illness in female patient group are predictors of illness acceptance (P = 0,0009).