Abstract

PEREZ MARTINEZ, Victor. Adaptative response to diabetes mellitus and its relation to aging. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2004, vol.20, n.4. ISSN 0864-2125.

A sample of 130 diabetic patients aged 60-75 from "Ana Betancourt" Teaching Polyclinic was selected to conduct a retrospective study.. They were studied in order to evaluate their adaptative response to the disease, as well as other factors influencing on the aging process. It was proved the existance of common pattern of response to diabetes mellitus in more than 90 % of the patients, characterized by the assessment of the disease as a severe ailment, the existance of barriers for following the treatment, a trend towards improving health behavior and an acceptable functioning of the social support networks. The adaptative response to diabetes mellitus was deficient in most of the cases, but the direct relation between this and the social support systems, whose functioning was steady, together with the low depression index observed, may be used as resources to take this answer to satisfactory adaptation levels.

Keywords : Adaptative response; common pattern.