How does the spirituality of a group of people with type 2 diabetes, living in England, influence their coping and self-management of their condition?

Abstract

Background: Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a lifelong condition mostly managed by people themselves through eating a healthy diet, taking exercise and medicines; many people find it difficult to follow this guidance. In the UK, the National Health Service advises clinicians to incorporate patients’ religious, cultural and ethnic beliefs into individual healthcare plans. However, there is a paucity of research that identifies how the spiritual beliefs of British people may influence their coping and self-management of their T2D.

Study aims: The aim of this study was to explore how the spirituality of a group of people with T2D, living in England, influences their coping and self-management of their condition.

Design: The literature reviews led to the refinement of the research question. A constructivist approach using the biographic narrative interpretive method for interviews and thematic analysis for data interrogation were chosen. Eight participants who lived with T2D were recruited (five men and three women) from Hampshire GP Practices, and underwent two interviews focusing on T2D, spirituality and coping. Contextual data was obtained from their medical records including hba1c blood test results, living situation (e.g. alone/partner), age, length of time since T2D diagnosis, body mass index and medicines for T2D to triangulate with the interview data.

Findings: Participants described living with T2D alongside co-morbidities, their spirituality, health beliefs, coping and sense of responsibility for T2D self-management, which overlapped in complex layers. Through interpretive analysis, three themes were generated: (1) spirituality influences expectations in life; (2) beliefs influence coping styles of the self-management of T2D, and (3) responsibility influences the self-management of T2D. Implications for clinicians are to consider how their patients’ spirituality, health beliefs, coping and sense of responsibility may influence their self-management of T2D. A model was created to assist clinicians addressing these aspects that may influence patients’ self-management of T2D.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Natasha Duke: orcid.org/0000-0002-4010-6702

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