A842: Mental Health and Type 2 Diabetes: Associations with conventional and complementary medicine health service utilisation in young and mid-aged women.

Mental Health and Type 2 Diabetes: Associations with conventional and complementary medicine health service utilisation in young and mid-aged women.

Approved: 2020

Collaborators:

Mrs Tracey Oorschot
Prof Jon Adams
Prof David Sibbritt

Synopsis

Approximately 6% of Australian adults report a diabetes condition with up to 90% of cases representing Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). True prevalence is estimated to be much higher (10%) and is increasing. The first step in treatment includes engaging with recommended health care professionals (HCP) and adoption of a range of healthy lifestyle behaviours, which largely falls to the individual to self-manage. T2DM is also associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression or psychological distress, with women most at risk, which can have a detrimental effect on optimal self-management and a range of health outcomes. Whilst past research has explored mental health and T2DM, less is known about associations between mental health status and conventional or complementary medicine self-management practices.