TY - JOUR
T1 - Insights from qualitative research on NAFLD awareness with a cohort of T2DM patients
T2 - Time to go public with insulin resistance?
AU - Alemany-Pagès, Mireia
AU - Moura-Ramos, Mariana
AU - Araújo, Sara
AU - MacEdo, Maria Paula
AU - Ribeiro, Rogério T.
AU - Do Ó, Dulce
AU - Ramalho-Santos, João
AU - Azul, Anabela Marisa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s).
PY - 2020/7/20
Y1 - 2020/7/20
N2 - Background: It is estimated that around 70% of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients (T2DM) have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Awareness and education are amongst the major shortcomings of the public health response to the increasing threat of NAFLD. Characterizing the specific NAFLD-related information needs of particular high-risk metabolic communities, for instance, T2DM patients, might aid in the development of evidence-based health promotion strategies, ultimately promoting NAFLD-awareness, treatment adherence and therapeutic success rates. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with T2DM patients were conducted to gain insight into their awareness of NAFLD, including its relationship with insulin resistance and T2DM. Results: Awareness of NAFLD as a disease entity, as well as its progression to end-stage liver disease or its relationship with other metabolic conditions, including insulin resistance and T2DM was low. Surveillance behaviours were also suboptimal and perceptions on the self-management knowledge and praxis regarding lifestyle intervention components of T2DM treatment seemed detached from those of NAFLD. Conclusions: Our findings could inform the integration of NAFLD-related content in T2DM health promotion strategies. Rising awareness on NAFLD progression and its relationship with T2DM using culturally and community-relevant constructs might facilitate the development of primary and secondary prevention programmes to promote the adherence to lifestyle interventions by influencing NAFLD threat perceptions.
AB - Background: It is estimated that around 70% of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients (T2DM) have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Awareness and education are amongst the major shortcomings of the public health response to the increasing threat of NAFLD. Characterizing the specific NAFLD-related information needs of particular high-risk metabolic communities, for instance, T2DM patients, might aid in the development of evidence-based health promotion strategies, ultimately promoting NAFLD-awareness, treatment adherence and therapeutic success rates. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with T2DM patients were conducted to gain insight into their awareness of NAFLD, including its relationship with insulin resistance and T2DM. Results: Awareness of NAFLD as a disease entity, as well as its progression to end-stage liver disease or its relationship with other metabolic conditions, including insulin resistance and T2DM was low. Surveillance behaviours were also suboptimal and perceptions on the self-management knowledge and praxis regarding lifestyle intervention components of T2DM treatment seemed detached from those of NAFLD. Conclusions: Our findings could inform the integration of NAFLD-related content in T2DM health promotion strategies. Rising awareness on NAFLD progression and its relationship with T2DM using culturally and community-relevant constructs might facilitate the development of primary and secondary prevention programmes to promote the adherence to lifestyle interventions by influencing NAFLD threat perceptions.
KW - Awareness
KW - Education
KW - Knowledge
KW - NAFLD
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Risk communication
KW - Self-management
KW - T2DM
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088352232&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-020-09249-5
DO - 10.1186/s12889-020-09249-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 32690054
AN - SCOPUS:85088352232
SN - 1472-698X
VL - 20
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 1142
ER -