Daisy Miller1, J Lynne Brown. 1. Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore how couples adjust to dietary management of type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: Couples were interviewed, first together and then separately, during the first year after diagnosis and 1 year later. SETTING: Qualitative interviews conducted in hospital classrooms using a semistructured interview guide. PARTICIPANTS: Couples (N = 20) with a recently diagnosed spouse who met the study criteria were purposefully selected from volunteers solicited from hospital-based diabetes classes. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: Processes used by the couple to address the prescribed diet. ANALYSIS: Thematic analysis of interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify patterns of adaptation processes used over time. RESULTS: Three couple categories emerged (cohesive, enmeshed, and disengaged), representing adaptation to the diabetic diet. Initially, 5 couples were cohesive (teamwork approach), 7 were enmeshed (nondiabetic spouse responsible for the diet; spouse was dependent), and 8 were disengaged (spouses functionally separate; spouse was solely responsible for the diet management). A year later, the majority of couples were disengaged (n = 14), 1 couple remained cohesive, and 4 couples remained enmeshed. Themes of flexibility, roles, rules, and communication varied across categories. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Understanding categories of marital adjustment to the diabetic diet may improve nutrition-based diabetes interventions. Further study is needed to verify these findings in larger and more diverse populations.
OBJECTIVE: To explore how couples adjust to dietary management of type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: Couples were interviewed, first together and then separately, during the first year after diagnosis and 1 year later. SETTING: Qualitative interviews conducted in hospital classrooms using a semistructured interview guide. PARTICIPANTS: Couples (N = 20) with a recently diagnosed spouse who met the study criteria were purposefully selected from volunteers solicited from hospital-based diabetes classes. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: Processes used by the couple to address the prescribed diet. ANALYSIS: Thematic analysis of interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify patterns of adaptation processes used over time. RESULTS: Three couple categories emerged (cohesive, enmeshed, and disengaged), representing adaptation to the diabetic diet. Initially, 5 couples were cohesive (teamwork approach), 7 were enmeshed (nondiabetic spouse responsible for the diet; spouse was dependent), and 8 were disengaged (spouses functionally separate; spouse was solely responsible for the diet management). A year later, the majority of couples were disengaged (n = 14), 1 couple remained cohesive, and 4 couples remained enmeshed. Themes of flexibility, roles, rules, and communication varied across categories. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Understanding categories of marital adjustment to the diabetic diet may improve nutrition-based diabetes interventions. Further study is needed to verify these findings in larger and more diverse populations.
Authors: Raymond Boon Tar Lim; Wei Keong Wee; Wei Chek For; Jayalakshmy Aarthi Ananthanarayanan; Ying Hua Soh; Lynette Mei Lim Goh; Dede Kam Tyng Tham; Mee Lian Wong Journal: Nutrients Date: 2019-05-06 Impact factor: 5.717