[The trend in the locus of control in diabetic patients]

The tendency of locus of control in diabetic patients is a theme approached by the nurse as an educator. The objectives of this study was to test reliability of the "Instrumento de Medida de Locus de Controle à Saúde (IMLCS)" (Instrument of Measurement of Locus of Control for Health); to confront the distribution of responses to different items of the "IMLCS" by a group of diabetic patients; and to verify the predominance of locus of control for health in the subjects studied. To reach these objectives the "IMLCS" was applied. The data showed that there was a prevalence of subjects with a locus of external control, that the different items were answered in a favorable manner by the subjects and that the scale was valid for the population of diabetic patients. We believe that these results show the need for rethinking the role of the nurse in the education of diabetic patients.