Social Support, Illness Perception and Mental Health among Female Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Diabetes is an enduring disease; it causes both physical and psychological effects on patients and impacts on women more extensively because of specific sociocultural pressures found in Pakistan. It was a quantitative correlational study used to explore the effects of perceived social support on the illness perception and psychological well-being of female diabetic patients of Pakistan. An intentional sample size of 100 female diabetic patients were approached through hospital based, community based and online means, was assessed in accordance with the social cognitive theory by Bandura and the common sense model by Leventhal. The research hypotheses stated were that perceived social support is positively correlated to mental well-being and appropriate illness perception, and the illness perception mediates the social support on the mental well-being. Results were expected to provide awareness of the importance of emotional, informational and practical social support in determining the illness perception in female patients of diabetes. Expected findings might help in developing culture-fair, gender-specific psycho-social interventions for women suffering from diabetes in Pakistan. The discussion for the healthcare professionals and policy makers is also presented.

Keywords: Social Support, Illness Perception, Mental Health Wellbeing, Diabetes, Pakistani Women, Diabetes Distress, Social Cognitive Theory, Common Sense Model