TY - JOUR T1 - Gender differences in functional limitations in adults living with type 2 diabetes: biobehavioral and psychosocial mediators. JF - Ann Behav Med Y1 - 2011 A1 - Chiu, Ching-Ju A1 - Linda A. Wray KW - Adult KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Biomarkers KW - Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring KW - Body Mass Index KW - Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 KW - Exercise KW - Female KW - Health Behavior KW - Humans KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - Models, Psychological KW - Prospective Studies KW - Risk Factors KW - Self Report KW - Sex Characteristics KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - United States AB -

BACKGROUND: Differences in functional limitations between adults with and without diabetes are more evident in women than they are in men.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate if there are gender differences in biological, behavioral, and psychosocial variables, and how these gender-related variables explain the gender-functional limitations relationship in adults with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS: We drew data on 1,619 adults with type 2 diabetes from the Health and Retirement Study and its diabetes-specific mail survey. The fit of a series of mediation models to the data was assessed by structural equation modeling.

RESULTS: Although women had better diet and blood glucose self-monitoring behaviors than did men, they reported less favorable body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) value, blood pressure, early complications, exercise behaviors, perceived control, self-efficacy, coping, depressive symptoms, and family support than did men. Psychosocial factors made an indirect contribution in the gender-functional limitations relationship by way of their strong association with biological and behavioral factors, two factors that directly and completely mediated the gender-functional limitations relationship.

CONCLUSIONS: Interventions promoting psychosocial well-being and empowering perceived diabetes control, coping, and self-efficacy in women with type 2 diabetes may help improve biological and behavioral determinants, and further, their long-term functional health.

PB - 41 VL - 41 IS - 1 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20827519?dopt=Abstract U4 - Gender differences/Psychosocial well-being/Mediator/Structural equation modeling/Functional limitations ER -