Faut-il faire peur aux patients ?

Among motivational factors to self-care, emotions, and among them, fear, play an important role. Some campaigns aimed to change behaviours use explicitly fear appeals. The effect of fear in diabetes care has not been extensively evaluated. Available data suggest that information perceived as a threat can have a negative impact on self-care if not linked to measures reinforcing patient's self-efficacy. This does not mean that one should not include information on diabetes complications in the information which is given to the patient. This point out the importance to appreciate that there is a risk of a negative impact if information is not delivered in an appropriate way.