How Are Adherent People More Likely to Think? A Meta-Analysis of Health Beliefs and Diabetes Self-Care

Purpose

Diabetes is increasingly prevalent, and nonadherence with diabetes treatment regimens is associated with physical and social costs. Psychological predictors of adherence have been investigated in the literature, including cognitive factors. The present meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the association between beliefs related to diabetes and adherence to diabetes regimens.

Methods

Studies that measured both (a) beliefs, perceptions, or cognitions about diabetes and (b) the relationship between such cognitive factors and blood glucose levels or other adherence behaviors were included. This research focused on adults with any type of diabetes, reaching a final sample of 48 studies. The effect size r was calculated for all types of beliefs and outcomes.

Results

The types of beliefs most strongly associated with adherence were self-efficacy, perceiving a positive relationship with physician, and beliefs about the personal consequences of adherence. A few limitations of this meta-analysis are that studies were only retrieved through databases and other sources were not searched, only articles in English were included, and only adult participants were included.

Conclusions

People who are more adherent have a higher level of confidence in their ability to follow medical recommendations, expect more meaningful positive consequences for adherence, and perceive a more positive relationship with their health care provider. Educators and clinicians could use cognitive restructuring techniques to facilitate these types of beliefs and perceptions in people with diabetes.