Personality and Family Profiles of Chronic Insulin-dependentDiabetic Patients Using Portable Insulin Infusion Pump Therapy: A Preliminary Investigation

Abstract

Thirty patients were studied before and after introduction of portable insulin infusion pump therapy to determine the psychological and family impact of this new technological intervention. No negative psychological impact or dysfunction appeared to be associated with introduction of the pump. On the contrary, the postpump group reported significantly less depression, significantly less anxiety, and significantly greater family cohesion than the prepump group. Other nonsignificant trends were in a direction indicating improved individual and family psychological status.