Human factors in chronic disease management (pie)

Question 1

What is the importance of physiological wellness in terms of chronic disease management in general and more specifically diabetes ?

Answer 1

Choronic diseases can be very physiologically and behaviourally demanding. e.g. in diabetes psychological issues can exert considerable influence on glycaemic control in diabetic patients

Question 2

How does stress affect diabetic control (in terms of biochem)?

Answer 2

• Distress/high levels of stress (feelings of being overwhelmed) increase noradrenaline and cortisol which mobilise glucose and fatty acids
• And Stress impairs insulin release.

Question 3

Are physiological issues higher in diabetes than in non-diabetics ?

Answer 3

Yes - anxiety disorders are up to 20% in diabetics and 10% in non-diabetics

Depression is also much higher in diabetics

Question 4

Define what illness cognition is

Answer 4

A patient’s own implicit common sense beliefs about their illness

Question 5

What are methods that are used to help keep adolescents with diabetes on top of there glucose monitoring ?

Answer 5

• Help adolescents identify blood glucose trends,
• Promote cognitive processing related to identifying and correcting the trend, and
• Integrate rewards and incentives into the system to sustain engagement with the tool