The present study examined (a) whether a diabetes-specific measure of social support is more highly related to diabetes outcomes than is a general measure of social support, (b) if the relationship between social support and diabetes outcomes is different for men and women, and (c) if self-care behavior and metabolic control influences morale among older adults with diabetes. Study participants were 191 community-dwelling volunteers (81 men, 110 women) over the age of 60 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. For men, social support specific to one's regimen affected metabolic control indirectly by increasing self-care behavior. For women, neither diabetes-specific nor general support was related to self-care behavior nor was self-care behavior related to metabolic control. For women, only high levels of overall support were associated with higher levels of morale. For men, higher levels of morale were found for those who were married and perceived high levels of available support, and for those who were in better metabolic control. These latter findings suggest that reciprocal relationships between psychosocial variables and health outcomes should be considered.
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