Exploring protective factors through positive psychology and salutogenesis in Danish families with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that involves ongoing disease self-management and several challenges, which may cause stress and negatively impact the quality of life. It can be difficult for people with diabetes and their relatives to manage the demanding illness and integrate it into daily life. However, despite living with diabetes, some individuals live a life with good mental health, positivity and well-being. This article uses the analysis of 18 interviews with 38 participants to describe factors influencing mental health in families with one or more members with type 2 diabetes. Factors such as optimism, supportive social relations and open communication all contributed to the family's positivity and mental health. When the families were optimistic about life with diabetes, when they were having and using supportive social relations and when they achieved a dialogue and communicated the difficulties of diabetes, diabetes seemed easier to manage and the burden of the illness where reduced. Optimism, supportive social relations and open illness communication appear connected and enhance one another. The goal is to help people with diabetes create meaning with their illness and make use of their social environment through dialogue in order to increase positivity, optimism and mental health.