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Spirituality and coping in young adults with diabetes : a cross-sectional study

journal contribution
posted on 2009-09-01, 00:00 authored by Nasrin Parsian, Patricia Dunning
Aim: Spirituality is an important aspect of wellbeing in people with diabetes. The current study aimed to explore how young adults with diabetes define spirituality, and the relationship between spirituality and coping in young adults with diabetes.

Methods: An exploratory study was conducted in 100 young adults with diabetes aged 18–30 years. Participants completed the Coping Questionnaire for Young Adults with Diabetes and the Spirituality Questionnaire.

Results: Young adults with diabetes defined spirituality as a sense of finding inner self and meaning in life, which is enriched by connections with other people and the universal whole. There was no significant difference in spirituality between religious and non-religious young adults with diabetes. People with a shorter duration of diabetes had higher scores on spiritual needs and engaged in more spiritual practices. Coping was correlated with spirituality (p<0.002) and self-awareness (p<0.000). Lower levels of glycosylated haemoglobin were associated with overall spirituality (p<0.04) and self-awareness (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Young adults with diabetes defined spirituality as a sense of being in touch with the inner self, meaning in life, and connecting with people, nature and a higher being. Spirituality is important to young adults with diabetes and helps them cope with stressful situations.

History

Journal

European diabetes nursing

Volume

6

Issue

3

Season

September / November

Pagination

100 - 104

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Location

West Sussex, England

ISSN

1551-7853

eISSN

1551-7861

Language

eng

Notes

Article first published online: 14 DEC 2009

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2009, FEND

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