Data from: The influence of adult attachment on patient self-management in primary care

Objective: Self-management strategies are essential elements of
evidence-based treatment in patients with chronic conditions in primary
care. Our objective was to analyse different self-management skills and
behaviours and their association to adult attachment in primary care
patients with multiple chronic conditions. Methods: In the apricare study
(Adult Attachment in Primary Care) we used a prospective longitudinal
design to examine the association between adult attachment and
self-management in primary care patients with multimorbidity. The
attachment dimensions avoidance and anxiety were measured using the
ECR-RD. Self-management skills were measured by the FERUS (motivation to
change, coping, self-efficacy, hope, social support) and
self-management-behaviour by the DSMQ (glucose management, dietary
control, physical activity, health-care use). Clinical diagnosis and
severity of disease were assessed by the patients’ GPs. Multivariate
analyses (GLM) were used to assess the relationship between the dimensions
of adult attachment and patient self-management. Results: 219 patients in
primary care with multiple chronic conditions (type II diabetes,
hypertension and at least one other chronic condition) between the ages of
50 and 85 were included in the study. The attachment dimension anxiety was
positively associated with motivation to change and negatively associated
with coping, self-efficacy and hope, dietary control and physical
activity. Avoidance was negatively associated with coping, self-efficacy,
social support and health care use. Conclusion: The two attachment
dimensions anxiety and avoidance are associated with different components
of self-management. A personalized, attachment-based view on patients with
chronic diseases could be the key to effective, individual self-management
approaches in primary care.