Latino beliefs about diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To describe Latino beliefs about diabetes and assess heterogeneity in beliefs across different groups.


METHODS
This study comprised a survey of 161 representative Latino adults from four diverse communities: Hartford, Connecticut; Edinburg, Texas; Guadalajara, Mexico; and rural Guatemala. A 130-item questionnaire covered causes symptoms, and treatments for diabetes. Information on demographics and acquaintanceship with someone with diabetes was also collected. The cultural consensus model was used to analyze the variation in responses to determine whether the degree of consistency within and between samples was sufficient to warrant aggregation and description as a single set of beliefs.


RESULTS
Homogeneous beliefs were present within each of the four samples. Although variability in responses increased significantly from Connecticut to Guatemala (P < 0.00005), there was significant agreement between samples on the answers (P < 0.0005). Answers tended to be concordant with the biomedical description of diabetes. Greater acculturation, higher educational attainment, and higher diabetes prevalence were associated with greater cultural knowledge about diabetes. In Connecticut, greater knowledge correlated with longer mainland U.S. residency (P < 0.05). In Mexico, those with average educational attainment knew more (P < 0.05). Finally, average knowledge levels were higher in communities with greater diabetes prevalence.


CONCLUSIONS
The cultural consensus model facilitated assessment of cultural beliefs regarding diabetes and diabetes management. Overall, Latino cultural beliefs about diabetes were concordant with the biomedical model. Variation in responses tended to characterize less knowledge or experience with diabetes and not different beliefs.
Weller
S C
SC
Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1153, USA. susan.weller@utmb.edu
Baer
R D
RD
Pachter
L M
LM
Trotter
R T
RT
Glazer
M
M
Garcia de Alba Garcia
J E
JE
Klein
R E
RE
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003237:Connecticut; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas