The broad long term objectives are to analyze the data set to (1) test hypotheses which clarify and predict affective and behavioral aspects of non-insulin-dependent (Type II) diabetes; (2) assess the validity and reliability of newly developed and existing scales; and (3) report the study results. The project will focus on clarifying Type II diabetes coping patterns, behaviorally and socioculturally, and thus aid in filling this major social science knowledge gap. Existing descriptive data are inadequate for clarifying diabetes coping variable associations and sociocultural sub-group differences. The project's findings will be important because Type II diabetes severity is critically linked to diabetes coping patterns and because its disability and death rates are disproportionately high among minority, low income, female and elderly groups nationally, and are even higher in Louisiana and the South. The findings will aid the current diabetes education movement through providing data such as those leading toward more ethnic-sensitive knowledge. Objectives are expected to be accomplished over four years involving various levels of data analysis, scientific writing, professional presentations, and publications. The experimental design and methodology will involve the use of cross sectional research data which will have been collected from a sample of 500 to 700 Type II, Southeastern Louisiana diabetics during Summer-Fall 1989 via the personal interview approach. The multiple regression model will be used to assess the simultaneous effects of variables such as health status and beliefs, psychosocial stressors and social support on diabetes coping, and to analyze socio-cultural sub-group differences.
