Health locus of control and depressive symptoms in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes

• Main Authors: Monika Ewa Kowalska- Wojtysiak, Małgorzata Górska- Ciebiada, Agnieszka Kotarba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Rural Health 2020-09-01
• Series: Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu
• Subjects: health control; depression; type 2 diabetes; late adulthood; glycated haemoglobin
• Online Access: http://www.journalssystem.com/monz/Health-locus-of-control-and-depressive-symptoms-in-elderly-patients-with-type-2-diabetes,122256,0,2.html

Introduction Type 2 diabetes is often comorbid with depression. Health control is thought to reside internally to the individual (Internal Locus of Control –IHLC) or externally, i.e. to other people (Powerful Others Locus of Control – PHLC), or to chance factors (Chance Locus of Control – CHLC). Knowledge of the relationships between the type of the health locus of control (LOC) and depression will allow modification of the process of psychoeducation of patients and their relatives. Objective The aim of the study was to assess: 1) the relationship between the type of health locus of control and occurrence of depressive symptoms in patients above 60 years of age, suffering from type 2 diabetes, 2) the incidence of depressive symptoms, 3) beliefs about the health locus of control, 4) relationships between glycated haemoglobin level, placement of health control (MHLC) and depressive symptoms (GDS-SF). Materials and method The study was conducted on 125 patients of the outpatient diabetic clinic at the N. Barlicki University Teaching Hospital No. 1 in Łódź, by applying the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale-SF (GDS-SF, and the authors’ own survey. Results Depressive symptoms were found in 40 (32%) patients. Patients with depressive symptoms demonstrated significantly higher levels of glycated haemoglobin, and the highest scores on the Chance Locus of Control- CHLC and Powerful Others Locus of Control- PHLC scales. Patients without these symptoms achieved the highest scores on the Internal Locus of Control- IHLC and Powerful Others Locus of Control- PHLC scales. Conclusions The MHLC and GDS-SF scales can be useful in the holistic psychological assessment of elderly type 2 diabetics, and in planning individual education processes.