Patient–provider perceptions of diabetes and its impact on self‐management: a comparison of African‐American and White patients

Aims To compare patient–provider differences in diabetes‐related perceptions between African‐American and White patients and to examine its association with self‐care behaviours. Methods One hundred and thirty patient–provider pairs were recruited from the greater Detroit area. Patients and providers completed a survey assessing perceptions about diabetes‐related concepts and demographic background. The Diabetes Semantic Differential Scale was used to measure diabetes‐related perceptions. Patients also reported the frequency of performing self‐care behaviours, including following a healthy eating plan, engaging in physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, and taking medication and/or insulin. Results There were a greater number of patient–provider differences in diabetes‐related perceptions for the African‐American patients (nine of 18 concepts) compared with the White patients (four of 18 concepts). Stepwise regression analyses found patients’ semantic differential scores to be significantly associated with five self‐care behaviours for African‐American patients and two self‐care behaviours for White patients. Providers’ semantic differential scores emerged as predictors of self‐care behaviours for African‐American patients, but not for White patients. Conclusions Our findings suggest that compared with White patients, African‐Americans differ in a greater number of diabetes‐related perceptions than their providers. Patients’ and providers’ perceptions of diabetes care concepts have a significant impact on a greater number of self‐care behaviours for African‐American patients than White patients.