Illness Perception, Religiosity And Mental Health Of Diabetic Patients In Ghana

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of diabetic patients’ perception of their illness and their levels of religiosity on their mental health problems. A sample of 194 diabetic patients (50 Type -1 and 144 Type-2) was drawn from two major hospitals (Korle-Bu Teaching and Tema General Hospitals) in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The cross-sectional survey method was used and the participants were administered with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Broadbent, Petrie, Main, & Weinman, 2006), Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (Plante & Boccaccini, 1997) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1993). Results from the analysis using Pearson correlation showed that the diabetic patients’ level of religiosity did not significantly relate with the mental health problems. However, illness perception correlated significantly and positively with their general mental health problem (GSI) and specific ones including levels of Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsion, Depression, Anxiety and Psychoticism. Further analyses using multiple regression analysis showed that level of general mental health problem (GSI) was significantly predicted by the perception of illness Coherence followed by perceptions Symptoms and Concern. Multiple regression analysis did not show any significant moderation effect of sex, age, duration of illness and level of education on mental health problem (GSI). However, MANOVA results showed that females report more mental health problem (GSI), Somatization and obsessive-compulsion but no significant sex differences in other specific mental health problems. Some of the findings from this study are consistent with some previous literature and inconsistent with some other earlier studies. The implications of these outcomes are discussed in relation to mental healthcare delivery, diabetic patients and the health sector. It is concluded that the diabetic patients’ perception of their illness plays a significant role in their experience of mental health problems and also, sex and level of education affect their mental health problems significantly and therefore require attention from the health officials for a holistic healthcare.