Perceptions of health and their relationship to symptoms in African American women with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is an incurable disease and a major cause of mortality an d morbidity. Diabetes disproportionately affects members of minorities who suffer from higher rates of complications and greater disability (Cowie & E berhardt. 1996). The purpose of this study was to (a) describe the symptoms of African American women with Type 2 diabetes and examine the relationshi p among diabetes-related symptoms: (b) document complications of diabetes a nd perceptions of health and functioning: and (c) examine the relationship between duration of diabetes and age at diagnosis and perceived health. A c onvenience sample of 75 African American women with Type 2 diabetes were in terviewed. A 44-item questionnaire measured selected demographic variables, symptoms, documented complications, and their perceived relationship to di abetes. The SF-20 was used to measure perceptions of health status. Data sh ow that African American women with Type 2 diabetes have a wide variety of symptoms and poor perceptions of their general health and physical function ing. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.