RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Patients’ perspectives on social and goal-based comparisons regarding their diabetes health status
JF BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care
JO BMJ Open Diab Res Care
FD American Diabetes Association
SP e000488
DO 10.1136/bmjdrc-2017-000488
VO 6
IS 1
A1 William Martinez
A1 Kenneth A Wallston
A1 David G Schlundt
A1 Gerald B Hickson
A1 Kemberlee R Bonnet
A1 Ricardo J Trochez
A1 Tom A Elasy
YR 2018
UL http://drc.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000488.abstract
AB Objective Social comparisons (ie, self-evaluation in comparison with others) influence patients’ perspectives of their disease and may impact motivation and health behavior; however, little is known about patients’ perspectives toward receiving such information in a clinical context (eg, from their doctor’s office or health system). This study aims to understand patients’ perspectives and anticipated responses to receiving social comparison information regarding measures of their diabetes-related health status (eg, A1C) and how receiving such information would compare with goal-based comparisons (ie, self-evaluation in comparison with goal).Research design and methods We conducted semistructured interviews with 25 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) regarding social and goal-based comparisons involving their diabetes health status and qualitatively analyzed interviews for themes.Results We identified seven major themes: self-relevance, motivation, self-concept, emotions, information seeking, medical care, and self-care. Participants commonly anticipated increased motivation and improved health behaviors in response to both social and goal-based comparisons. Subthemes unique to social comparisons included belief that this information would be motivating by engaging some patients’ competitiveness, perception that this information was more ‘personalized’ than comparisons with a standard goal (eg, A1C<7), and desire to learn from individuals similar to oneself who were doing better.Conclusions Our findings provide significant insights into the anticipated response of patients with T2DM to receiving social and goal-based comparison information regarding their diabetes health status. Providing patients with diabetes with social and goal-based comparison information may affect motivation, mood, and self-concept in ways that may improve or sustain diabetes self-care behaviors for some patients.