Maria Marta Amancio Amorim

Identity Representations of People With Diabetes

In this study, we aimed to investigate the construction of identity representations by primary health care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and their relationship to the required self-care actions. A free word association technique required clients from a basic health unit (N = 34) to suggest a word or expression and justify it in response to the question, “When talking about being a diabetic, what comes to your mind?” We performed, transcribed, and categorized the recordings, then interpreted them according to thematic content analysis, social representation, and social identity theories. Intentions mediated by identity processes—social comparison, social attribution, and categorization within the studied group—and also by objectification and anchoring, provided the following social constructions: normal, accepting of the disease, feeling unaccepting, and experiencing difficulties. The disease might alter patients’ identity representation within a context permeated by individuals’ subjective sense.

Social representations of feeding people with type-2 diabetes mellitus

Diet is one of the most difficult challenges faced by individuals with Type-2 DM [1,3,4]. Because of its prohibitive nature, dietary change is the first limitation experienced by people diagnosed with Type-2 DM and is cause for stress, discrimination, and oppression. Diet is the main cause of poor control of the disease because of inadequate or incorrect information, and negative attitudes and social representations of individuals with Type-2 DM [5].