title: Gender differences in lay knowledge of type 2 diabetes symptoms among community-dwelling Caucasian, Latino, Filipino, and Korean adults - DiLH survey.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in lay knowledge of type 2 diabetes symptoms among community-dwelling Caucasian, Latino, Filipino, and Korean Americans.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional survey was administered to a convenience sample of 904 adults (172 Caucasians, 248 Latinos, 234 Koreans, and 250 Filipinos) without diabetes at community events, community clinics, churches, and online in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego from August to December 2013. Participants were asked to describe in their own words signs and/or symptoms of diabetes. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association of lay symptom knowledge with gender after controlling for potential confounding factors.
  
  
  
  Overall, the average age of the sample populations was 44 (SD ±16.1) years, 36% were male, and 58% were married. Increased thirst/dry mouth following increased urinary frequency/color/odor and increased fatigue/lethargy/low energy were the most frequently reported signs and symptoms (19.8%, 15.4%, and 13.6%, respectively). After controlling for known confounding factors, women were 1.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.3, P = .004) times more likely than men to report at least 1 diabetes symptom. However, this gender difference in knowledge of diabetes signs and symptoms did not significantly differ across Caucasians, Latinos, Filipinos, and Korean Americans (P = .87).
  
  
  
  The findings underscore the importance of improving public knowledge and awareness of signs and symptoms of diabetes, particularly in men.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging/Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California (Dr Fukuoka, Dr Bender, Dr Choi, Ms Gonzalez, Dr Arai).
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging/Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California (Dr Fukuoka, Dr Bender, Dr Choi, Ms Gonzalez, Dr Arai).
authors.forename: Melinda S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging/Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California (Dr Fukuoka, Dr Bender, Dr Choi, Ms Gonzalez, Dr Arai).
authors.forename: JiWon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging/Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California (Dr Fukuoka, Dr Bender, Dr Choi, Ms Gonzalez, Dr Arai).
authors.forename: Prisila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging/Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California (Dr Fukuoka, Dr Bender, Dr Choi, Ms Gonzalez, Dr Arai).
authors.forename: Shoshana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*