Diabetes in urban African Americans: assessment of diabetes-specific locus of control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
This study was conducted to examine the applicability and relationship to glycemic control of the Diabetes Locus of Control (DLC) Scales in a low-literacy, economically deprived, African American population with type 2 diabetes.



The DLC Scales were administered orally to African American patients with type 2 diabetes who had been referred to the diabetes unit of a large urban public hospital. Reliability, interscale correlations, and associations with patient characteristics were compared with those originally obtained for a better educated, predominately Caucasian population.



The structure and correlates of the DLC Scales in the African American population were more similar than different from those originally obtained from a primarily well-educated, Caucasian population. However, comprehension of some items was difficult for up to 10% of the low-literacy population. A significant relationship was found between belief in chance and both glycemic control at the 6-month follow-up and the change in glycemic control over time.



Although the DLC Scales operate similarly in an urban African American population with limited education, further modification is needed to enhance the prediction of glycemic control and provide direction for developing targeted interventions.
Hayes
R P
RP
Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia|Emory University Center for Clinical Evaluation Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia|White Institute for Health Services Research, Decatur, Georgia
Bernard
A M
AM
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Slocum
W
W
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
el-Kebbi
I
I
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Ziemer
D
D
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Gallina
D
D
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Phillips
L S
LS
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014504:Urban Health; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin