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Education, awareness needed for family members at risk for type 2 diabetes
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Motivating individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes to engage in risk-reducing behaviors could increase awareness and improve understanding of the disease, especially in families with a history of type 2 diabetes, according to study findings published in The Diabetes Educator.
Melanie F. Myers, PhD, MS, of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, and colleagues conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 33 individuals who had a first-degree relative with type 2 diabetes. Researchers sought to evaluate communication about diabetes and risk reduction recommendations from family members who are at risk based on family history.
Melanie F. Myers
All participants were at-risk adult siblings (same generation; n = 15) or children of someone with type 2 diabetes (younger generation; n = 18). Results were divided into reactions to diabetes, perceptions of cause and familial risk, and communication about the disease.
Most participants had two or more family members with type 2 diabetes; 10 in the same generation group and 15 in the younger generation group.
Participants most commonly described who in their family had diabetes and their observation of disease management when asked about their experiences with the disease. Most participants (same generation, 12; younger generation, 13) reported negative associations with diabetes.
More than one perceived cause or risk factor was reported by most participants (same generation, 15; younger generation, 16), revealing that they had an understanding of cause and risk. Poor diet, being overweight and genetic or family history were the most commonly reported causes. Most participants reported they thought themselves (same generation, 10; younger generation, 15) or their siblings (same generation, 2; younger generation, 10) were at risk. Healthy lifestyle and no symptoms were the most commonly reported reasons for thinking someone in the family would not be at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Most commonly, conversations between participants and family members with and without the disease included diabetes symptoms and management. Prevention was also discussed with at-risk relatives.
Belief that type 2 diabetes was not relevant to family members without the disease was the most commonly reported barrier to communication. Education of an at-risk family member for increasing awareness of risk as well as sharing learned information with others were reported as recommendations for improving conversations about diabetes.
“Because of the potential for social influence within families, interventions that (1) identify at-risk family members and family members with [type 2 diabetes] to act as family health educators and model healthy behaviors and (2) facilitate intrafamilial communication about risk and risk reduction behaviors may influence other family members to adopt such behaviors,” the researchers wrote. “These interventions should be used as complements to, not replacements for, interventions utilizing direct and explicit motivation to make positive behavior changes.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The study was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease and the National Human Genome Research Institute’s Intramural Research Program.
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