The role of health beliefs in affecting patients' chronic diabetic complication screening: a path analysis based on the health belief model.
Lingjun Jiang, Suzhen Liu, Hang Li and 2 others
PMID 33951248WHAT IT FOUND
In 785 adults with type 2 diabetes, screening behaviour was tied to beliefs, not just knowledge.
Feeling susceptible, seeing fewer barriers, and receiving prompts were associated with better screening; knowledge alone had no direct association.
Key findings
01Knowledge about diabetic complications was associated with screening through health beliefs, with perceived susceptibility and perceived barriers showing the largest indirect effects.
02Cues to action, including being recommended by health workers, were associated with screening directly and through perceived susceptibility and perceived barriers.
03Perceived susceptibility and perceived barriers were stronger mediators than perceived benefits or self-efficiency for both knowledge and cues to action.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study measured everything at one time, so it cannot show that beliefs caused screening or that changing beliefs would change behaviour. Participants were recruited by convenience from one community health centre in an economically developed urban area of Chengdu, so the results may not apply to other places or groups. Screening behaviour and health beliefs were self-reported, not checked against records. The questionnaire was developed for this study, although it was reviewed by experts and piloted in 30 patients. Patients who were mentally incapable were excluded, so it says nothing about those people.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report who funded the study or what conflicts the authors declared. It states the study was pre-registered (ChiCTR 1900023577).
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that health education or reminders will increase screening. This was a cross-sectional survey of associations, and no intervention was tested.