Date of Award

2014-01-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

Advisor(s)

Elias Provencio-Vásquez

Abstract

Estimates of undiagnosed diabetics are as high as 50%. Early intervention and management can reduce the complications of diabetes; however, this is possible only after the disease has been diagnosed. A review of diabetes screening literature revealed a dearth of information regarding the diabetes screening behavior of individuals. Unlike barriers to cancer screening, little is known about barriers and facilitators to diabetes screening. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a logical theoretical framework to apply for the examination of screening intentions because it allows inference of behavioral predictors via survey item responses. Using the TPB framework, the Barriers and Facilitators to Diabetes Screening Survey (BFDSS) was developed. Following a pilot study, minor modifications were made to the instrument. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the TPB independent variables (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) and the dependent variable of intention to participate in diabetes screening among Mexican-Americans adults at high risk for developing diabetes. The Spanish version of the BFDSS was administered to 368, Mexican-American adults who lived in El Paso, Texas. The following psychometric properties of the BFDSS were validated: internal consistency, path analysis, and content validity. The path model supported the claim that each of the independent variables was significantly related to the dependent variable, which was intention, to participate in diabetes screening. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated the need for further validation of the model. These findings might be the first step in developing new interventions to increase diabetes screening, which could lead to early detection and treatment of diabetes and consequently, the reduction of long-term complications and the financial burden associated with this disease.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

150 pages

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Elizabeth Hagelsieb-Escalera

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