SYRACUSE, N.Y., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Marital stress can affect blood-sugar control, according to a psychologist at State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.
Any kind of stress can affect a person's blood-glucose levels, but a marriage with a lot of conflict and a lack of support can result in a significant amount of stress on a daily and weekly basis, according to study leader clinical psychologist Paula Trief.
Trief says the answer to supporting a partner with diabetes rests in the "mind of your diabetic partner."
"The first step is for the diabetes patient and the partner to sit down and have a conversation about what they need from each other as they manage their diabetes," said Trief.
Trief is conducting a study, based on previous evidence that shows people who are in happier marriages tend to do better managing their diabetes.
