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The diagnosis of diabetes brings with it aregimen that has major impact on a person's dailypractices and lifestyle. Psychological well-being isan important goal in diabetes care, and psychosocialfactors are relevant to all aspects of diabetesmanagement. Poor psychological functioningcauses suffering, can seriously interfere with dailydiabetes self-management, and is associated withpoor medical outcomes and high cost (AIHW,2008; Clarke, Kelman, & Colagiuri, 2006;Polonsky et al., 2005).The DAWN (Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes andNeeds) Study reported that the majority of patientswith Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes experiencedpsychological problems (67.9% and 65.6%, respec-tively) (DAWN International Expert AdvisoryBoard, 2004). The report also indicated thatalthough new and more efficacious diabetesmedication and improved medication deliverysystems had been developed, the majority of peoplewith diabetes do not achieve optimal outcomes.Researchers have shown that negative attitudes,coping difficulties, and psychological problems,such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders,are common in diabetes and can contribute to pooroutcomes (Rubin & Peyrot, 2001; Snoek & vanBallegooie, 2004).Life with diabetes occurs in personal and socialcontexts that are influenced by the healthcaresystem. Diabetes may manifest differently indifferent individuals depending on such factors asage, sex, marital status, ethnicity, and educationlevel(Oladele&Barnett,2006;Thorne,Paterson,&Russell, 2003; Trief et al., 2006). The nature ofdiabetes means that its day-to-day management isthe responsibility of the person with the illness andinvolves constant decision making, which is highlydemanding for the person living with the disease.However, it is this participation in decisions abouttheir self-care regimen that is an important factor inimproving treatment outcomes for people withdiabetes(Walker,Peterson,Millen,&Martin,2003).The focus of diabetes management for manypeople is on self-control of the body involvingplanned and measured activities of eating, exercis-ing, and medicating. Through these activities, thebody becomes the contested site where the unfore-seen events of illness are to be self-managed andresolved through immediate actions. For personsdiagnosed with diabetes, the stress of gainingweight due to taking antipsychotic medicines maycause them to stop taking their antipsychoticmedicine. Individuals with symptoms of psychoticmental illness may feel less inclined to be engagedin physical activities due to the sedating effects ofpsychotropic medications and therefore are morelikely to experience changes in body weight, whichincreases the risk of developing diabetes.Much of the research concerning diabetesfocuses on such issues as compliance withprescribed regimens, modification of problematiclifestyle choices, and decision making in relation totreatment options and symptom control (Knight,Dornan, & Bundy, 2006; Osterberg & Blaschke,2005). However, it is argued that a much moreimportant aspect of the challenge of self-caremanagement is the daily requirement to makedecisions and select options on a wide range ofissues, such as medication, diet, rest and activity,symptom monitoring, and seeking help (Thorneet al., 2003). Nurses need a body of knowledge thatilluminates individual experiences in self-caredecision making and goes beyond adherence tomedical recommendations. This will allow nursesto develop strategies that support self-care decisionmaking over time and through changing circum-stances in the life trajectory.The long-term complications of diabetes andthe associated reduction in health may also havea negative effect on a person's quality of life.Quality of life is strongly related to theindividual's perception of his or her life situation(Murphy & Murphy, 2006). Different peoplehave different perceptions of the effect ofdiabetes in their lives. A person's perception ofhis or her own health and well-being must beconsidered in physical, psychological, and socialfunctioning contexts when a health professionalassesses health-related quality of life (Polonskyet al., 2005). Empowerment is an approach todiabetes care that provides patients with the
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