The Meaning of Insulin to Hispanic Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes and Their Families

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of insulin among a sample of Hispanic immigrants with type 2 diabetes and their family members/significant others. Methods Forty-three Hispanics with type 2 diabetes and their family members/significant others were recruited in the southeastern United States for a family-based intervention study on diabetes-self management. Focus groups were conducted in which participants with diabetes and family members were asked to describe their perceptions of insulin. The sessions were audiotaped and transcribed, translated from Spanish into English and analyzed using standard content analysis. This paper reports the findings, as well as demographic information and hemoglobin A1C levels of participants. Results The meaning of insulin was described by both Hispanic immigrants with type 2 diabetes and their family members/significant others. Participants’ perceptions were categorized into three major themes: (1) negative perceptions of insulin therapy, (2) perceived barriers to insulin therapy, and (3) positive experiences with insulin emerged from qualitative data. Conclusions The Hispanic immigrants with diabetes and their family members/significant others in this study described perceptions and fears of insulin indicating a lack of understanding of the diabetes disease process and the progressive nature of diabetes. Strategies and further research are necessary to dispel negative perceptions and facilitate positive experiences with insulin for patients, and family members/significant others.

Recruitment and Retention of African American and Hispanic Girls and Women in Research

“…Hu et al. () engaged Hispanic lay workers, and Bartlett and Shelton () and Thompson () engaged African American nurses, group leaders, recruiters, and data collectors in HIV and physical activity studies with African American teens. These studies had greater than 80% retention.…”

“…Ahrens et al (2011), whose study focused on sexual assault on Latinas, a highly sensitive topic, used face-to-face recruitment by either the study director (who happened not to be Latina), or by Latina study staff. Hu et al (2012) engaged Hispanic lay workers, and Bartlett and Shelton (2010) and Thompson (2010) engaged African American nurses, group leaders, recruiters, and data collectors in HIV and physical activity studies with African American teens. These studies had greater than 80% retention.…”

‘The problem here is that they want to solve everything with pills’: medication use and identity among Mainland Puerto Ricans

“…While meanings and perceptions of medications for Latinos are addressed in the literature mostly through studies on medication adherence (Cersosimo and Musi 2011; Hosler and Melnik 2005; Ishisaka et al 2012; Vlasnik et al 2005), previous qualitative research gives some indications on the meaning of medications for Latino groups, including the perception of insulin for those with Type 2 diabetes (Davis et al, 2011; Hu et al 2012), as well as beliefs surrounding the use of antidepressants (Hansen and Cabassa 2012; Interian et al 2007). Cultural beliefs such as familismo (importance placed on family) may influence the way in which Latinos, and Puerto Ricans specifically, give value or importance to medications (Interian et al 2007; von Goeler et al 2003).…”

A Family-Based Diabetes Intervention for Hispanic Adults and Their Family Members

“…In particular, familismo is an important value: the ‘family comes first.’ Thus focusing on family involvement and family centeredness is an important interventions for Hispanics with diabetes 9, 10 . Hispanics face many challenges in making the lifestyle changes required for effective and sustained diabetes self-care 11, 12 . For these patients, social support, including peer and family involvement, has been related to improved healthy eating and improved physical activity 13 , improved low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and total cholesterol 14 , better glycemic control as measured by HbA1c 15 , improved knowledge 16 , improved self-efficacy 17 and better self-management 18 .…”