title: Diabetes risk perception in women with recent gestational diabetes: delivery to the postpartum visit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low perceived risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) may be a barrier to lifestyle change in women with recent gestational diabetes (GDM). We assessed perceived risk for T2DM at delivery and postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a validated diabetes risk perception instrument to survey women with GDM at delivery and postpartum. We compared women with low perceived risk for T2DM at delivery to those with high perceived risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (N = 43 of 70, 61%) perceived high risk at delivery. Women who perceived low risk were younger (30.7 ± 6.3 versus 35.0 ± 4.5 years, p = 0.003) than women who perceived high risk. Although knowledge of risk factors for T2DM was poor (mean 6.0 ± 1.9, of 11 points), 95% correctly identified GDM as a risk factor. Perceived risk was maintained in most (N = 51 of 58, 88%) who returned for their postpartum visit. Low perceived risk was not associated with loss to follow up, however correct identification of GDM as a risk factor was protective (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.005, 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk perception is accurate in most women with GDM at delivery and postpartum. Further study is needed to translate perceived risk into preventive behaviors in women with recent GDM.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA . czera@partners.org
authors.forename: Chloe A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zera
authors.forename: Jacinda M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.forename: Sue E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Levkoff
authors.forename: Ellen W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Seely
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment