Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113552

Alexandra A. García, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Office 5156, Austin, TX 78701, 512-471-7973, agarcia@mail.nur.utexas.edu

Mexican Americans are two to five times more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have diabetes and suffer its consequences. Intensive self-management, starting with symptom management, effectively prevents and minimizes diabetes complications. A culturally relevant, reliable and valid measurement of diabetes symptoms is needed to improve diabetes self-management education and Mexican American patients' diabetes control and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to revise and pilot test the Diabetes Symptom Self-Care Inventory (DSSCI), the only known questionnaire developed for use with Mexican Americans. Specifically the study 1) explores Mexican Americans' perceptions of symptoms related to diabetes, symptom seriousness, and significance; 2) describes Mexican Americans' perceptions of appropriate actions and treatments for diabetes symptoms; 3) examines the test-retest reliability of the revised DSSCI; and 4) examines the construct validity of the revised DSSCI. In all 120 Mexican Americans from one urban and one rural community participated in one of the three phases of the study. In Phase I focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to explore symptom experience and these data were used to inform revisions to the DSSCI that include a more culturally targeted symptom list and response format. In Phase II cognitive interviews were used to explore the thought processes participants use to understand and answer the questionnaire items leading to improvements in phrasing and response format. In Phase III the revised DSSCI was administered on two occasions and with established questionnaires (CES-D, ADDQoL, IPQ-R) to examine preliminary evidence for test-retest reliability and convergent validity. The revised DSSCI will be used as a pre- and post-test measure of diabetes symptoms in a future community-based intervention aimed at helping Mexican Americans address their diabetes symptoms effectively.

This study was funded by the Center for Health Promotion Research, NINR/NIH 5 P30 NR005051.

Learning Objectives:

• 1) Compare methods for eliciting the emic perspective as a way of informing questionnaire development.
• 2) Describe evidence for reliability and validity of the DSSCI.
• 3) Assess Mexican Americans' diabetes symptoms using a culturally relevant questionnaire.

Keywords: Latinos, Diabetes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation