Personality Traits and Self-Care Behaviors in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Purpose: Personality traits are an important factor in health behaviors. However, personality traits and self-care in T2DM in the Mexican population are not yet explored due to this; the purpose of this work was to explore the relationship of personality traits with self-care in Mexican adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 197 T2DM patients from a primary care center in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Big Five Inventory and the Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities (SDSCA) were the tools used. Correlation models and multiple linear regression models were used for the analysis. Results: Most of the study participants were women (74.6%). The mean age was 53.1 years (SD = 8.4). The average years of schooling of the participants were 5.7 (SD = 4.3). The number of years lived with T2DM was 9.0 (SD = 6.5). The waist circumference was 96.3 (SD = 14.2), and the BMI was 27.5 kg/m2 (SD = 4.1). The traits of conscientiousness (r = 0.283) and openness (r = 0.259) were positively correlated with self-care activities, while neuroticism was inversely correlated (r = −0.144). In the multiple linear regression models, only the conscientiousness and openness traits were predictors of self-care; they explained 19% of the variance. Conclusion: People with greater openness and conscientiousness were associated with greater compliance with self-care. Conversely, neuroticism was inversely associated with self-care in patients with T2DM.

The Effect of a mHealth App (KENPO-app) for Specific Health Guidance on Weight Changes in Adults With Obesity and Hypertension: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Specific aspects of personality (ie, agreeableness) are relevant to weight loss maintenance [ 28 , 29 ]. People with greater openness and conscientiousness were associated with greater compliance with self-care [ 30 ]. Personality traits such as neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are associated with self-weighing frequency, dietary habits, support, and difficulties during the weight loss process [ 31 ].…”

Neuroticism is associated with increase in depression symptoms over time in older adults with type 2 diabetes

“…Model 1 presents estimates adjusting for age, sex and education. Considering that cardiovascular and diabetes‐related variables have previously been associated with both depression and personality factors, 26,27 Model 2 presents estimates additionally adjusting for cognition, cardiovascular and diabetes‐related covariates which included BMI, HbA1c, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, duration of T2D, and insulin therapy. Significance level ( p value) is presented in each result table.…”

Association of Personality Traits and Self-Care Behaviors in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Self-care encompasses the proactive involvement of individuals in overseeing their health and well-being, often in cooperation with healthcare practitioners. It enables individuals to make informed health-related choices, embrace healthy behaviors, and assume accountability for their holistic wellness [ 12 , 13 ]. Within the context of T2DM management, fundamental self-care activities comprise dietary preferences, physical activity, and self-regulation of blood glucose levels, all of which are significantly influenced by cultural and social factors as well as personality traits [ 14 ].…”

“…They represent consistent tendencies in how a person perceives and interacts with the world, responds to situations, and regulates emotions. Personality traits are associated with chronic diseases and can influence health behavior, especially in people with T2DM [ 12 , 13 ], as they play an important role in the patient’s ability to strategize in their lifestyle and self-care [ 14 ]. Moreover, personality traits can transform, aggravate, and complicate the disease by predisposing people to convert psychological tensions into physical responses [ 15 ].…”

“…Moreover, personality traits can transform, aggravate, and complicate the disease by predisposing people to convert psychological tensions into physical responses [ 15 ]. In other words, personality traits can have both positive and negative implications for T2DM self-care, and some personality profiles, most notably the so-called diabetic personality, which was first proposed in 1963 [ 16 ], indicate a poor prognosis, higher risk of medical complications, [ 8 ] and general adaptations to T2DM [ 12 ].…”