Introduction/background: Chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, are considered inflammatory conditions with elevated levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). Disease progression is not consistent from person to person. Psychosocial factors are hypothesized to play a modifying role. Self-efficacy, the confidence in one's ability to perform well in a specific life domain or at a specific task, is associated with better health outcomes. Coping self-efficacy is confidence in one's ability to handle life's problems through emotional regulation, problem-solving, and social support. Little is known about associations between coping self-efficacy and inflammation.
Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine associations between coping self-efficacy and IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over two visits. Sociodemographic variables, chronic disease count, body mass index (BMI), and coping self-efficacy were collected. Inflammatory markers were collected via sweat using the sweat patch, a noninvasive collection device.
Results: Higher TNF-α and IL-10 levels were significantly associated with low coping self-efficacy (β = -.03, p = .028; β = -.017, p = .007, respectively) after adjustment for age, sex, race, BMI, and chronic disease count. IL-6 trended toward significance after adjustment as well (β = -.22, p = .054).
Conclusions: This pilot study showed that high coping self-efficacy was associated with lower IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels, indicating a potential buffering effect of high coping self-efficacy. Further longitudinal research with larger sample sizes is needed.
Keywords: chronic disease; coping self-efficacy; cytokines; interleukin-10; interleukin-6; sweat patch; tumor necrosis factor-α.