Risk Perception of Developing Diabetes Complications among African American Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: African American (AA) women have a disproportionately higher prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and its related complications than Hispanics and non-Hispanic white women. Cultural practices, stigmatization, discrimination, socio-economic status, historical experiences and geographical locations have all been proposed as factors that influence the prevalence of T2DM in AA women. However, no study has explored how AA women with T2DM perceive their risk of developing diabetes complications, and how their risk perceptions impact their diabetes self -management. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions that AA women diagnosed with T2DM have of their risks of developing DM complications, how their perceived risk of diabetes complications influences their DM self-management, and how the socio-cultural and economic contexts in which DM management occurs influences AA women's DM self-management behaviors. Method: A qualitative descriptive study was used to provide a comprehensive description of the perception of risk for developing diabetes complications among AA women with T2DM. A purposive sample of 10 AA women with T2DM was selected for the study. Findings: Findings revealed that the risk perception for developing DM complications influenced DM self-management among AA women with T2DM. Sociocultural and economic factors were also found to influence DM self-management among AA women with T2DM. Conclusion: This study revealed numerous factors that were associated with development of diabetes complications among AA with T2DM. However, risk perception stood out to be associated with all the factors