Illness coping behaviour of outpatients with depression or diabetes mellitus in two tertiary hospitals in Enugu state, southeast Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The study aims to compare the coping styles of patients with diabetes with those with depression. A total of 224 patients, 112 with depression and an equal number with diabetes were recruited. Sociodemographic variables were determined with the sociodemographic questionnaire, and coping styles with the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) adapted and Brief Religious Coping (Brief RCOPE) Scales. Fighting Spirit and MAC Summary Positive Adjustment were used more by participants with depression. Both groups of participants used the Brief RCOPE positive method to the same extent. Brief RCOPE negative was used more by participants with depression. Positive coping skills were used more by participants with depression than those with diabetes. This underscores the need for clinicians to explore the coping resources available to their patients, both religious and non-religious, and projecting them to their patients for enhancement and application as an adjunct for the purpose of a better clinical outcome.

KEYWORDS:

• Religious coping
• non-religious coping
• depression
• diabetes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the management and members of staff of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu for their assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.