Health beliefs and regimen adherence in minority adolescents with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To examine the appraisal of short- and long-term diabetes health risk and adherence, determine whether health risk predicts adherence and glycemic control in an ethnic minority sample, and determine whether perceptions of personal risk differ from risk to others. METHODS: Seventy-four youths with type 1 diabetes (ages 11-16) completed measures of risk perception and regimen adherence during their clinic visit; parents completed a measure of their children's adherence. Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c level was measured as part of the clinic visit. RESULTS: Regression analyses predicting parental report and self-reported adherence from appraisal of risk yielded nonsignificant results; perceived short-term complications to self predicted glycemic control. Appraisal of risk was higher for short- and long-term complications occurring to someone else with diabetes than to self. Greater risk for short-term complications than for long-term complications to self and other was found. CONCLUSIONS: The distinction between long-term and short-term complications and complications occurring to ones' self or someone else with diabetes was supported. Assessment of perceived risks for short-term complications is important for this age group and should be addressed in interventions to improve adherence.