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Abstract

The Social Problem-Solving Inventory—Revised, Short Form, was administered to 65 urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes to examine association of generic problem-solving styles and orientation with hemoglobin A1C (A1C). Eighty-five percent of participants had total social problem-solving scores in the Average range or higher. In linear regression models adjusted for education, each interquartile increase in impulsive/careless score was associated with a 0.82 increase in A1C (%) (p = 0.01), and each interquartile increase in avoidant score was associated with a 1.62 increase in A1C (%) (p = 0.004). After adjusting for depressive symptoms, the association of impulsive/careless style with A1C was attenuated, while the association of avoidant problem solving with A1C remained significant (p = 0.01). Associations of rational problem-solving style, positive orientation, and negative orientation with A1C and health behaviors were not statistically significant. Ineffective problem-solving styles may prove to be important targets for intervention to improve glycemic control.

KEY WORDS:  self-management - minorities - health behaviors - disease control - problem solving

This paper was presented in part at the 63rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 2003.

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