Introduction: This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of combined group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in improving diabetes distress and glycemic control among 60 adults with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Half the participants were the experimental group (n = 30), and the other half was the control group (n = 30). Group therapy consisted of eight sessions for three months. Measures obtained at pre-test and post-test included the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS-17) and blood examination to examine the level of HbA1c.
Result: The results indicated that group CBT had significant effects on the amelioration of diabetes distress and level of HbA1c among the participants of the experimental group.
Conclusion: The effectiveness of group CBT in the maintenance of good diabetic control in people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes was successfully demonstrated.
Study site: Pusat Sejahtera (Universiti Sains Malaysia Clinic), Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Caring for a family member with dementia is associated with distress and several caregiver factors are known to be determinants of burden of care.
Objective: To determine the relationship between the caregivers’ sociodemographic variables and their perceived burden of care.
Methods: Patients diagnosed as having dementia with their caregivers were selected through a non-randomised sampling method from the psychogeriatric and memory clinics in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Burden of care was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview.
Results: Age, gender, educational achievement, ethnicity and kinship of the 65 caregivers did not show any significant statistical difference in relation to their perceived burden. Conclusion: Burden in caring after patients with dementia was not significantly determined by the sociodemographic characteristics of their caregivers
Study site: Psychogeriartic clinics and memory clinics of Pusat Perubatan University Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM) and Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia