Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The aim of the study was to describe patients’ cognitive and emotional representations of type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 50 adults with type 2 diabetes hospitalized in November 2023 in ward C at the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology. We used the translated and validated Arabic version of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS 26.

Results: The mean age of patients was 57 years. the ratio females-to-males was around 1.5. Diabetes had been present for more than 10 years in 66% (n=33) of participants, and was unbalanced in 92% (n=46). Patients treated with insulin therapy alone accounted for 50% (n=25). Degenerative complications were present in 88% (n=44) of cases, with microangiopathic complications predominating 84% (n=42). The first five items of the questionnaire concerned cognitive perception of the disease. Of those questioned, 6% (n=3) had answered that diabetes is a disease that severely affects life and 78% (n=39) thought that the disease would last a lifetime. 2% (n=1) of patients thought they could totally control their diabetes, 6% (n=4) felt that treatment was not helpful at all and 10% (n=5) had very severe symptoms. Items 6 and 8 described the emotional aspects of the disease so that 24% (n=12) of patients felt extremely worried about the disease and 14% (n=7) said they were extremely emotionally affected by it. In item 7, we measured the degree of understanding of the disease, as 4% (n=24) of participants felt they could understand their disease very well and identified the three main causes cited in order, namely acute psychological stress (68% n=34), followed by dietary errors 48%(% n=24) and heredity 12% (n=6). The mean score was 49.6, with extremes ranging from 24 to 72. Half the participants had a score of 50 or more.

Conclusion and recommandations: Most patients have a negative perception of their diabetic condition. We recommend that family and friends become more involved, as they can provide essential support for lifestyle changes and treatment compliance.

Key words: type 2 diabetes – Tunisia – perception – life-experience