Alcohol consumption and adherence to self-care behaviours in Type 2 diabetes; the inclusion of Brief Interventions for alcohol in diabetes care

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health problem worldwide, resulting from the body's inefficiency at utilising insulin or reduced insulin production. For those diagnosed with the chronic health condition careful self-management is required, including following complex medication regimes, exercise, diet and ongoing monitoring by clinicians. Type 2 diabetes is however characterised by poor adherence to self-care behaviours, therefore increasing risk of hypertension, weight gain, renal and nerve damage. A systematic literature review was conducted to scrutinise literature examining psychosocial factors affecting adherence to self-care behaviours. Diverse psychosocial factors were found to affect and facilitate adherence to self-care in those with Type 2 diabetes. Strongest predictors related to social support, depression, self-efficacy and availability of financial resources. Relationship status, employment status, diabetes knowledge, health beliefs, motivation and level of education were also suggested to correlate with adherence. Coping and religion appeared equivocally related. Little research was elicited examining alcohol or smoking, however findings suggested a correlation with reduced adherence to self-care. A quantitative study expanded upon available literature, examining the prevalence of alcohol consumption in the UK Type 2 diabetic population and whether alcohol use correlated with adherence to self-care. A small pilot study examined the efficacy of an intervention to reduce alcohol consumption, and whether this would correlate with improved self-care. Results revealed 9% of the Type 2 diabetic population were consuming alcohol at levels placing them at risk of alcohol-related health problems, with males consuming more than females. A relationship was revealed between increased alcohol consumption and decreased adherence to self-care. Findings have clinical implications regarding the inclusion of screening for alcohol use in routine diabetes care. Due to feasibility issues a small sample were recruited to the pilot study which reduced the ability to confidently infer clinical implications from findings.