Powerlessness, health beliefs, and compliance in adult diabetics

The study tested relationships existing between health belief, generalized and situational powerlessness, and compliance in adult diabetic clients. Forty-two diabetic adults, 25 to 74 years of age, constituted the available sample. Persons were either newly diagnosed or newly reclassified from Type II to Type I diabetes.

Powerlessness instruments developed by Seeman and Evans (1962) Roy (1977) were used to measure subjects' level of powerlessness. Population specific instruments for health beliefs and compliance were designed by the researcher for use in this study. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed significant correlations between powerlessness and compliance and powerlessness and health belief. No statistically significant relationship was found to exist between health belief and compliance.