USING FOCUS GROUPS TO IDENTIFY PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES OF URBAN BLACK INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES

The purpose of this focus group research was to identify issues that c ould serve as topics for a series of educational videos portraying psy chosocial issues of urban black individuals with diabetes. Four focus groups involving 34 black adults were conducted in the Detroit area. P sychosocial issues were identified and rated in order of priority by a n expert panel. The major psychosocial issues identified were the impo rtance of food and eating in the black culture, the necessity for lear ning more about diabetes and its complications, learning to interact e ffectively with healthcare providers and systems, and the need for hel p and support in managing psychosocial issues related to diabetes. Bla ck individuals with diabetes face unique psychosocial challenges. Focu s groups are an effective method for obtaining relevant, culturally sp ecific, in-depth information about living with diabetes from patients who are members of minority groups.