This report is part of a larger study that investigated the relationships between illness demands, marital support, and psychological adjustment in the context of diabetes mellitus in rural and urban middle-aged marital couples in Botswana. Ninety-six persons experiencing diabetes and 87 of their spouses participated in the study. This report is based on data from 87 diabetic patients and their spouses. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Patients and their spouses were interviewed separately. Three open-ended questions elicited participants' personal experiences of illness demands. The couple participants reported many challenging illness experiences associated with the illness and contextual factors that influenced their perception about the burden of illness and reported that the illness experienced was often a growth-enhancing and maturing process.
Campbell, L.V., Redelman, M.J., Borkman, M., McLay, J.G., & Chisholm, D.J. (2002). Factors in sexual dysfunction in diabetic female volunteer subjects. Diabetes Care, 25, 672-677.
2.
Chelsa, C.A., Fisher, L., Skaff, M.M., Mullan, J., Gilliss, C.L., & Kanter, R. (2003). Family predictors of disease management over 1 year in Latino and European American patients with Type 2 diabetes. Family Process, 42(3), 375-390.
3.
DesRosier, M.B., Catanzaro, M., & Piller, J. (1992). Living with chronic illness: Social support and the well spouse perspective. Rehabilitation Nursing, 7(2), 87-91.
4.
Fielding, R., & Lam, W.W.T. (2006). Physical and psychosocial adjustment of Chinese women and their significant others to the impact of breast cancer and treatments. Hong Kong Medical Journal, 12(2, Suppl. 1), S4-S7.
5.
Golin, C., Dimatteo, M.R., Duan, N., Leake, B., & Gelberg L. (2002). Impoverished diabetes patients whose doctor facilitates their participation in medical decision making are more satisfied with their care. Journal of Internal Medicine, 17(11), 866-875.
6.
Haberman, M.R., Woods, N.F., & Packard, N.J. (1990). Demands of chronic illness: Reliability and validity assessment of a demand of illness inventory. Holistic Nursing Practice, 5(1), 25-35.
7.
Hagedoorn, M., Keers, J.C., Links, T.P., Bouma, J., Ter Maaten, J.C., & Sanderman, R. (2006). Improving self-management in insulin-treated adults participating in diabetes education. The role of overprotection by the partner . Diabetic Medicine, 23(3), 271-277.
8.
Hamberg, K., Johansson, E., Lindgren, E., & Westman, G. (1997). The impact of marital relationship on the rehabilitation process in a group of women with long-term musculoskeletal disorders. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine, 25(1), 17-25.
9.
Hoskins, C.N., Baker, S., Sherman, D., Bohlander, J., Bookbinder, M., Budin, W., et al. (1996). Social support and patterns of adjustment to breast cancer. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice Journal , 10(2), 99-123.
10.
Kumar, V.P., Shah, A., & Chandra, P.S. (2006). Differentiation of self, sense of support, and marital quality in patients affected by HIV/AIDS and epilepsy. Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry, 21(1-2), 35-43.
11.
Loveys, B.J., & Klaich, K. (1991). Breast cancer: Demands of illness. Oncology Nursing Forum, 18(1), 75-80.
12.
Mann, C., & Dieppe, P. (2006). Different patterns of illness-related interactions in couples coping with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care & Research, 55(2), 279-286.
13.
Miller, D., & Brown, J.L. (2005). Marital interactions in the process of dietary change for Type 2 diabetes. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 37(5), 226-234.
14.
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. ( 1997). National development: Plan 8. Unpublished report, Gaborone, Botswana.
15.
Newman, S., Steed, L., & Mulligan, K. (2004). Self-management interventions for chronic illness . The Lancet, 364(9444), 1523-1537.
16.
Onen, M.A. (1999). Information needs of diabetics in Botswana, current and future dimensions. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Botswana.
17.
Packard, N.J., Haberman, M.R., Woods, N.F., & Yates, B.C. (1991). Demands of illness among chronically ill women . Western Journal of Nursing Research, 13(4), 435-457.
18.
Petlo, C. (1996). Patients' perception of factors related to satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the health care they receive in hospitals and clinics in Botswana. Unpublished undergraduate thesis, University of Botswana.
19.
Polit, D.F., & Hungler, B.P. (1993). Essentials of nursing research. Methods, appraisal, and utilization (3rd ed.). Philadelphia : J. B. Lippincott.
20.
Sandberg, J. (2006). "She said, he said": The impact of gender on spousal support in diabetes management. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 5(2), 23-42.
21.
Schreiner-Engel, P., Schiavi, R.C., Vietorisz, D., & Smith, H. (1987). The differential impact of diabetes type on female sexuality. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 31(1), 23-33.
22.
Stodberg, R., Sunvisson, H., & Ahlstrom, G. (2006). Lived experiences of significant others of persons with diabetes. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16(7B), 215-222.
23.
Trief, P.M., Ploutz-Snyder, R., Britton, K.D., & Weinstock, R.S. (2004). The relationship between marital quality and adherence to the diabetic care regimen. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 27(3), 148-154.
24.
Walker, A.R.P., Walker, B.F., & Adam, F. (2003). Nutrition, diet, physical activity, smoking and longevity: From primitive hunter-gatherer present passive consumers-How far can we go?Nutrition, 19, 169-173.
25.
Woods, N.F., Haberman, M.R., & Packard, N.J. (1993). Demands of illness and individual, dyadic, and family adaptation in chronic illness. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 15(1), 10-30.
