Patient-appraised couple emotion management and disease management among Chinese American patients with type 2 diabetes.

Family context exerts a strong influence on disease management among patients with chronic disease, but it is not clear which aspects of family life are most influential. This study examined the linkages between patient-appraised couple emotion management (conflict resolution, expressiveness, and respect) and disease management (biological, morale/depression, quality of life, and behavioral) among a relatively understudied group, Chinese American patients with type 2 diabetes. Significant main effects were found between patient-appraised couple emotion management, especially conflict resolution, and the morale component of disease management, but not the biological or behavioral components; both diabetes-specific and general relationship qualities (marital satisfaction) were independently linked to disease management.

Depression and anxiety among partners of European-American and Latino patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To assess the levels of and the independent contributors to depressive affect and anxiety among partners of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: The partners of 75 Latino and 113 European-American patients with type 2 diabetes were assessed for level of depressive affect and anxiety and for three groups of potential stressors: demographics (age, gender, and education), patient disease status (time since diagnosis, HbA(1c), comorbidities, and BMI), and family stress (disease impact, spouse conflict, and family closeness). Dependent variables were partner depressive affect (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale) and anxiety (Symptom Checklist [SCL-90] anxiety).