Men living with diabetes: minimizing the intrusiveness of the disease

Abstract

In this paper we present the findings from the second of four Participatory Action Research (PAR) groups with men and women who have been diagnosed with type two diabetes. The findings of the men's group are reported here. People who have received a diagnosis of diabetes must immediately absorb a great deal of information about how to control their diabetes, care for themselves and make lifestyle changes. In this study, we have asked men about this transition and about what it is like to live with diabetes. We aimed to understand how people with type two diabetes incorporate chronic illness into their lives. Utilizing the processes of PAR, we created a conducive environment for the voices of people with diabetes to be clearly heard in relation to their health. Men who live with type two diabetes met with a researcher and two Clinical Nurse Consultants, for two hours, once a week, for four weeks, during November 1998. The men expressed that diabetes had made a positive impact on their lifestyle; they viewed diabetes as part of life and not as an illness. Men chose foods with confidence; their concern about potential complications meant they chose to take better care of themselves. They were confident in their knowledge of diabetes, and while they took responsibility for themselves, being supported by their partner was helpful in managing their diabetes. They managed their life with diabetes by minimizing the intrusiveness of the disease.

‘It’s not a disease, it’s a nuisance’:Controlling diabetes and achieving goals in the context of men with Type 1 diabetes

“…Rather, it refers to men's attempts to control the presence of diabetes in their lives -by ignoring it to pursue personal goals such as work, or attending to it in order to achieve the goals of 'taking care of others'. Koch et al (2000) saw the experimentation with doctor's recommendations by men with diabetes as a means to maintain control and find a personalised 'fit' for diabetes in their lives. The same efforts to personalise the care regimen have been seen in this study as doctors recommendations were often taken into consideration but ultimately each participant pursued a system of 'best fit'.…”

“…Bacon et al, 2002;Corona et al, 2004;and Jowett, Peel, & Shaw, 2012). Other research has examined the variations in health beliefs amongst men of different ethnic origins (Hjelm, Bard, Nyber & Apelqvist, 2005) and the way men incorporate diabetes into their lives through 'normalisation' (Koch, Kralik, & Taylor, 2000;Peyrot, McMurray, & Hedges, 1988).…”

Differences in Health and Illness Beliefs in Zimbabwean Men and Women with Diabetes

“…Previous investigations have studied men and women separately and found dissimilarities in life modes and thus, risk perceptions [11, 12] and health-related behaviour [13, 14]. Women were more caring and nurturing and had higher risk awareness than men who were more ego-oriented and willing to take risks.…”

“…Thus, women perceived diabetes mellitus as intrusive and feared its complications why their daily lives became stressful, watchful and restricted [13]. Men on the other hand saw diabetes as part of their life, tried to limit its restrictions and thus, described a positive impact of the disease on their life-style and believed the complications meant taking better care of themselves [14]. Comparisons of men of different origin, Arabs, ex-Yugoslavians and Swedes, showed that of importance for health were to be gainfully employed, economically independent and able to retain sexual function [15].…”

Effectiveness of a community orientated diabetes education (CODE) programme for people with type 2 diabetes

“…14 Similar to that reported elsewhere, women reported a lower QOL. 15 This may be that men manage their life with diabetes by minimising the intrusiveness of the disease, considering it part of life and not as an illness, 16 and therefore their QOL is less affected by it. Knowledge increased at a group level which supports the usefulness of attendance at the programme.…”