Interpreting the Risks of Diabetic Renal Disease: Perspectives of those Most at Risk |
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| Authors: | Mathew White Afsane Riazi Christine Eiser Suzanne Hammersley J Richard Eiser Kenneth MacLeod |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology , University of Sheffield , Sheffield, S10 2TP, UK;2. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery , Queen's Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK;3. Diabetes and Vascular Health Centre , Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust , Exeter, Devon, UK |
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| Abstract: | Fifty people with diabetes attending a 'high risk' renal clinic were interviewed about their perceptions of diabetic nephropathy and other diabetes related complications. Despite the high risks involved many patients appeared relatively unconcerned with, or even unaware of, the severity of their condition. It is argued that lack of obvious symptoms associated with nephropathy can lead to ambiguity during consultations and greater opportunity for the use of a variety of risk attenuation strategies by the patient. It is recommended that medical staff become aware of these strategies in order to understand failures in self-management in the face of complications such as nephropathy. |
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| Keywords: | Diabetes Nephropathy Risk Perception |
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