Patrick J. Lustman, Ph.D.

DEPARTMENT OF Psychiatry
Keywords: adherence, depression, diabetes, health services research, inflammatory bowel diseases

Our research examines the biopsychosocial interaction of psychiatric and medical illness (particularly diabetes). We have also studied the relationship of psychiatric illness to adherence with medical and psychiatric treatment regimens, the relationship of adherence to diabetes control, the relationship of personality characteristics to glucose regulation in diabetes, and the utilization of health care services following treatment-induced remission of psychiatric illness.

Other studies include clinical trials of psychopharmacological and behavioral treatments for comorbid depression in diabetes. These trials look closely at the effects of treatment on medical (diabetes) outcomes.

Finally, our gastrointestinal disease research focuses on (1) the effects of antidepressant therapy of gastrointestinal syndromes in diabetes patients and (2) psychiatric illness as a predictor of response to steroid therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.