Diabetes in urban African Americans: Assessment of diabetes-specific locusof control in patients with type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE this study was conducted to examine the applicability and relations hip to glycemic control of the Diabetes Locus of Control (DLC) Scales in a low-literacy, economically deprived, African American population with type 2 diabetes. METHODS The DLC Scales were administered orally to African American patient s with type 2 diabetes who had been referred to the diabetes unit of a larg e urban public hospital. Reliability, interscale correlations, and associat ions with patient characteristics were compared with those originally obtai ned for a better educated, predominately Caucasian population. RESULTS The structure and correlates of the DLC Scales in the African Ameri can population were more similar than different from those originally obtai ned from a primarily well-educated, Caucasian population. However, comprehe nsion of some items was difficult for up to 10% of the low-literacy populat ion. A significant relationship was found between belief in chance and both glycemic control at the 6-month follow-up and the change in glycemic contr ol over time. CONCLUSIONS Although the DLC Scales operate similarly in an urban African A merican population with limited education further modification is needed to enhance the prediction of glycemic control and provide direction for devel oping targeted interventions.