title: Attitudes Regarding Participation in a Diabetes Screening Test among an Assyrian Immigrant Population in Sweden.
abstract: Immigrants from the Middle East have higher prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with native Swedes. The aim of the study was to describe and understand health beliefs in relation to T2D as well as attitudes regarding participation in a screening process in a local group of Assyrian immigrants living in Sweden. A qualitative and quantitative method was chosen in which 43 individuals participated in a health check-up and 13 agreed to be interviewed. Interviews were conducted, anthropometric measurements and blood tests were collected, and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed. In total, 13 of the 43 participants were diagnosed with impaired glucose metabolism, 4 of these 13 had TD2. The interviewed participants perceived that screening was an opportunity to discover more about their health and to care for themselves and their families. Nevertheless, they were not necessarily committed to taking action as a consequence of the screening. Instead, they professed that their health was not solely in their own hands and that they felt safe that God would provide for them. Assyrians' background and religion affect their health beliefs and willingness to participate in screening for TD2.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Building G, Floor 3, Högskolevägen 1, 541 28 Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2188-4306
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.affiliation: Center for Primary Health Care Research, Family Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bennet
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine, Department of Primary Health Care, Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Klas
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6373-543X
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fellbrant
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Department of Primary Health Care, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellgren