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The Diabetes Educator, Vol. 29, No. 3, 480-487 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/014572170302900312
© 2003 American Association of Diabetes Educators; Published by SAGE Publications

Measuring Perceptions of Diabetes-Related Concepts: A Preliminary Study

James T. Fitzgerald, PhD

Department of Medical Education, University of Michigan Medical School, The Towsley Center, Room 1114, Box 0201, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0201 tfitz{at}umich.edu; University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; Geriatric Research, Education, & Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Michigan

Larry D. Gruppen, PhD

Department of Medical Education

Linda A. Wray, PhD

Department of Behavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Barbara R. Shay, MEd

Geriatrics Center

Robert M. Anderson, EdD

Department of Medical Education

PURPOSE

this pilot study explored health professionals' and patients' perceptions of diabetes through the development of the Diabetes Semantic Differential Scales (DSDS). These scales evaluate the meaning of diabetes-related concepts.

METHODS

Health professionals (n=39) attending a CME course completed the health professional version of the DSDS. Patients (n=70) completed the patient version of the DSDS.

RESULTS

The reliability of the DSDS was supported. The scale scores of health professionals, African American patients, and Caucasian patients, examined initially by one-way analyses of variance, showed significant differences among the groups for 4 of the 18 diabetes concepts. Effect sizes were also examined among these groups. For 7 concepts, there was a significant practical difference between the perceptions of the health professionals and the African American patients. For the Caucasian patients, differences were noted for 6 concepts.

CONCLUSIONS

There are 3 primary inferences from this pilot study. First, health professionals and patients are likely to hold different perceptions of key diabetes concepts. Second, the concepts on which professionals and patients differ are not always what one would expect. Third, health professionals should clarify patients' understanding of diabetes to minimize the potential for miscommunication.


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