Jc. Stover et al., Perceptions of health and their relationship to symptoms in African American women with type 2 diabetes, AP NURS RES, 14(2), 2001, pp. 72-80
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.