title: Patient beliefs and behaviors about genomic risk for type 2 diabetes: implications for prevention.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes is a major health burden in the United States, and population trends suggest this burden will increase. High interest in, and increased availability of, testing for genetic risk of type 2 diabetes presents a new opportunity for reducing type 2 diabetes risk for many patients; however, to date, there is little evidence that genetic testing positively affects type 2 diabetes prevention. Genetic information may not fit patients' illness representations, which may reduce the chances of risk-reducing behavior changes. The present study aimed to examine illness representations in a clinical sample who are at risk for type 2 diabetes and interested in genetic testing. The authors used the Common Sense Model to analyze survey responses of 409 patients with type 2 diabetes risk factors. Patients were interested in genetic testing for type 2 diabetes risk and believed in its importance. Most patients believed that genetic factors are important to developing type 2 diabetes (67%), that diet and exercise are effective in preventing type 2 diabetes (95%), and that lifestyle changes are more effective than drugs (86%). Belief in genetic causality was not related to poorer self-reported health behaviors. These results suggest that patients' interest in genetic testing for type 2 diabetes might produce a teachable moment that clinicians can use to counsel behavior change.
authors.affiliation: a Altisource, Inc. , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Susanne B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: Scott V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Joy
authors.forename: Gloria M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Trujillo
authors.forename: William Michael
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Marylou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bembe
authors.forename: Dana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Creighton
authors.forename: Alex H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Geoffrey S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ginsburg
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vorderstrasse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data