Optimizing diabetes literacy: lessons from African Canadians in Calgary about type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
With the aim of optimizing diabetes education, type 2 diabetes awareness, primary prevention and secondary prevention, we studied how African Canadians experience type 2 diabetes. Specifically, we studied stories told by African Canadians living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, about significant events and experiences at the time of their diagnosis with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
From recorded interviews, we extracted themes from stories about diagnosis, using hermeneutic phenomenology. Participants included 11 African Canadians older than age 18 and at least 1-year post-diagnosis. Transcribed stories were analyzed for units of meaning describing significant themes/experiences about the diagnosis. Extracted units of meaning were organized into themes that were presented to a focus group of African Canadians in Calgary to garner their perspective on the findings, discuss the implications and make recommendations for improvements.


RESULTS
All participants reported experiencing shock, disbelief, fear and a sense of helplessness immediately after their diagnosis. These rendered them unable to think clearly or start their treatment regimen until propelled by additional forces. Also, 73% of participants reported experiencing anger/denial about the diagnosis for some time, whereas 18% reported a short-lived relief that they could finally put a name to their symptoms. However, the overarching issue associated with all of the themes appeared to emanate from a lack of type 2 diabetes awareness.


CONCLUSIONS
Emotions experienced by participants seemed precipitated by a lack of type 2 diabetes awareness. Some community-specific factors contributed to the lack of type 2 diabetes awareness, which appeared to impede primary and secondary prevention among participants. Recommendations for ameliorating these factors are presented.
Functional Rehabilitation Program, Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, Regina-Qu'Appelle Health Region, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Electronic address: uduwan@gmail.com.
Jane I
JI
Ekong
Educational Studies in Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Shelly
S
Russell-Mayhew
Division of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Nancy
N
Arthur
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta; D044383:Black People; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion
African Canadians; Afro-Canadiens; community-specific factors; diabète de type 2; experiences; expériences; facteurs propres à la communauté; primary prevention; prévention primaire; prévention secondaire; secondary prevention; sensibilisation au diabète de type 2; type 2 diabetes; type 2 diabetes awareness