title: Older adults' common sense models of diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the importance of viewing belief systems about health maintenance holistically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative (N=74) and quantitative data (N=95) were obtained from a multi-ethnic rural-dwelling sample of older adults with diabetes to characterize their common sense models (CSMs) of diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is a discrete number of CSMs held by older adults, each characterized by unique clusters of diabetes-related knowledge and beliefs. Individuals whose CSM was shaped by biomedical knowledge were better able to achieve glycemic control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Viewing individuals' health beliefs incrementally or in a piece-meal strategy may be less effective for health behavior change than focusing on beliefs holistically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. grzywacz@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Grzywacz
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Arcury
authors.forename: Edward H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Julienne K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: Ronny A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Quandt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires