The treatment of comorbid anxiety in a male with poorly controlled diabetes in a very remote primary health care service

The treatment of comorbid anxiety in a male with poorly controlled diabetes in a very remote primary health care service Journal Article

Clinical Case Studies

• Author(s): Caldwell, Julia M., Patterson-Kane, Lisa
• Published: 2014
• Volume: 13

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Abstract: Rural Australians are shown to have poorer health and mental-health outcomes compared with their metropolitan counterparts, particularly for diabetes. Individuals with diabetes often meet criteria for comorbid mental-health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Psychological treatment, as an adjunct to medical care, for individuals with diabetes is shown to improve overall health and wellbeing. This article describes a 38-year-old male who was referred to a very remote primary health care service by his diabetes educator for strategies to reduce work-related stress and improve his diabetes mismanagement. Mindfulness-based cognitive behavior therapy techniques were used, over six sessions, in the context of a rural and very remote community. Pre- and post-intervention measures showed a reduction in anxiety, distress, and improvement in his perception of his quality of life. Clinical implications for psychological treatment of diabetes and comorbid mental-health issues in rural and remote communities are discussed.

• Urls: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534650113507992
• Keywords: diabetes, rural and remote, health psychology