Perceptions of risks for diabetes‐related complications in Type 2 diabetes populations: a systematic review

Abstract

AimIn Type 2 diabetes, there is no clear understanding of how people perceive their risk of experiencing diabetes‐related complications. To address this issue, we undertook an evidence‐based synthesis of how people with Type 2 diabetes perceive their risk of complications.MethodsWe performed a systematic search of nine electronic databases for peer‐reviewed articles published on or before 1 March 2016. Data from 18 studies reporting lay perceptions of risks for complications in Type 2 diabetes populations were included. Publication year ranged between 2002 and 2014.ResultsMethods used to assess risk perceptions were heterogeneous, ranging from questionnaires measuring the accuracy of perceived risks to semi‐structured and focus group interviews. We found evidence of low risk awareness in most dimensions of risk perceptions measured and the existence of optimistic bias.ConclusionsPerceptions were generally biased and varied according to the dimension of risk measured, the subpopulation concerned and the type of complications considered. Future work is needed to identify the best practical ways of correcting for biased risk perceptions so as to encourage self‐care behaviours and treatment adherence.

Nudging people with Type 2 diabetes towards better self‐management through personalized risk communication: A pilot randomized controlled trial in primary care

“…This is an issue since the effect of risk communication interventions could be enhanced with the use of adapted formats or metrics that specifically target such biases . Existing risk communication interventions for people with T2DM have shown mixed results, with many participants barely understanding the explanations of health professionals about risks and having poor recall of risk information . There is an urgent need to improve risk communication in this area, making people with T2DM prime candidates to receive an intervention informed by behavioural economics.…”

Diabetes and risk

“…In their systematic review of the perception of experiencing diabetes‐related complications, Rouyard et al . found evidence of low risk awareness in most of the dimensions measured and the existence of optimistic bias: ‘it's not going to happen to me’. Inaccurate risk perceptions are a major barrier to the adoption of self‐care behaviours and, as a result, become an additional risk for poor diabetes outcomes per se .…”

“…Risk is a well‐known concept in diabetes research and clinical care; indeed, the word ‘risk’ appears in the title of nine articles in this month's issue. In most of these articles, the authors have described risk factors for the development of diabetes , its complications or treatment side effects . By contrast, Rasouli et al .…”

Risk Perceptions of Acquiring Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among College Students

“…In addition, a person's perceived risk, as perceived susceptibility or vulnerability to diabetes, is a critical determinant whether individuals will take steps to prevent or treat their diabetes symptoms. The perceived risk of acquiring diabetes is important to know because it indicates whether the person is aware enough of the necessity to take action to control his or her health problems (Rouyard, Kent, Baskerville, Leal, & Gray 2017). On the one hand, the more individuals underestimate the severity of their diabetic risks, the less unlikely it is that they will engage in behaviors that could improve their health.…”

“…These underestimations of exposure to harming events and overestimations of exposure to positive events are common among younger individuals who are unlikely to fully understand long-term consequences of their current health-related behaviors. Moreover, extant research studies provide significant evidence that individual risk perception "often go awry" (Waters et al, 2013) due to an overestimation of the risk of developing a disease such as T2DM because they may develop anxiety as well as the unwillingness and inability to take preemptive preventative measures (Rouyard et al,2017). In the subsequent section, we provide the literature review of research on risk perceptions of T2DM among adolescents.…”