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OBJECTIVE - This study aimed to assess the potential for communication of familial risk by patients with type 2 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A questionnaire was completed by a random sample of patients with type 2 diabetes registered with a hospital diabetes clinic.
RESULTS - Two-thirds of patients (65%) had spoken to at least one sibling or child about diabetes risk. They were more likely to believe their family was at risk, to worry about their family developing diabetes, and to be aware of the seriousness of diabetes. The results revealed greater awareness of family risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those from previous studies.
CONCLUSIONS - Many patients with type 2 diabetes had already taken the initiative, without formal prompting, to talk to family members about their risk of diabetes. Discussion of risk and interventions to reduce risk should be encouraged within families.
Diabetes Care 32:251-253, 2009
First-degree relatives and spouses of individuals with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (1,2). There is also an established correlation of other cardiovascular risk factors in family members; these include obesity (3), hypertension (4), lipids (5), and smoking (5). Increased family risk is thought to have both an environmental and a genetic basis (6,7), giving scope for decreasing cardiovascular risk through lifestyle modification in individuals with a family history of diabetes (8). Nonetheless, systematic screening of family members is unlikely for logistic and financial reasons. A more modest approach would be to encourage patients with diabetes to discuss risk with family members. However, health beliefs of individuals with type 2 diabetes may lessen their perception of the risk of diabetes among family members (9) and of the seriousness of diabetes (10), raising doubts as to whether they would communicate risk factors to their family members. The Health Belief Model (11) identifies factors likely to increase health-related actions such as speaking with family members. They include perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and barriers, and cues to action. We explored the beliefs and actions of patients with type 2 diabetes concerning discussion of risk in families.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A questionnaire to assess patient beliefs and actions regarding discussion of type 2 diabetes risk with family...