Health Beliefs and Health Practices of Optimistic and Pessimistic Diabetics

Abstract

Life orientation, or one's tendency toward optimism or pessimism, is a personality variable that has been shown to affect physical and psychological well-being. Effects of life orientation on a chronic disease such as diabetes is unknown, largely due to the lack of research evaluating the relationship between the two. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health beliefs and health practices of optimistic and pessimistic diabetics. Results from personal interviews with three optimistic diabetics and three pessimistic diabetics show that the two groups are indistinguishable with regard to their health practices, but differ in their health beliefs. The implications of these findings are discussed as well as recommendations for future research to better understand the relationship between life orientation and chronic disease.