Measuring the Attitudes and Beliefs of American Indian Patients With Diabetes

Diabetes is recognized as a major health problem for American Indians. This study examined the attitudes and beliefs of American Indian patients with diabetes using the revised Diabetes Attitude Scale (DAS). Revised DAS factors represent patients'attitudes toward the need for special training to provide diabetes care, patient compliance, the seriousness of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), the relationship between blood glucose levels and complications, the impact of diabetes on the patient's life, patient autonomy, and team care. Data were collected from subjects at Indian Health Service hospitals on two American Indian reservations in northern Minnesota. Results of the analysis indicated significant differences in attitudes related to seriousness of the disease and autonomy in care decisions, after controlling for sex and educational level of the respondents.