Scholarlink

Background <p>Illness perceptions shape how patients and caregivers understand and respond to chronic conditions, yet little is known about how they align in diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU) management. This study examined agreement and divergence in illness perceptions, including causal beliefs, among primary care patient–caregiver dyads with DFUs, offering insights to inform communication, education, and family-centered care.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study of 50 consecutively recruited patient–caregiver dyads who completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). Agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), paired-sample t-tests, and distribution of agreement patterns. Open-ended responses on DFU causal beliefs were thematically analysed to identify convergence and divergence.</p> Results <p>Moderate agreement across domains (ICC 0.58-0.70) with significant differences only in Identity, where caregivers attributed more symptoms to DFU than patients (5.30 vs. 3.98, <i>p</i> = 0.004). The greatest disagreement was observed for Consequences (54%) and Identity (42%), reflecting divergent perceptions of illness impact and symptom burden. Both groups most often attributed DFUs to behavioural factors, with greater alignment on lifestyle-related than biomedical or psychosocial determinants.</p> Conclusions <p>This first quantitative study of DFU illness perceptions in patient-caregiver dyads reveals both concordance and divergence in illness understanding. Incorporating dyadic perspectives into routine care may improve communication and strengthen family-centered collaborative care. Future interventions could test whether reconciling divergences in Identity and Consequence perceptions reduces caregiver strain and improves patient self-care.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Agreement and Divergence in Illness Perceptions among Primary Care Patient–Caregiver Dyads with Diabetes-related Foot Ulcers

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月12日

查看全文
  • Xiaoli Zhu,
  • Eng Sing Lee,
  • Frederick HF Chan,
  • Phoebe XH Lim,
  • Durga Devi Kurusamy,
  • Sabrina Poay Sian Lee,
  • Yee Chui Chen,
  • Konstadina Griva

摘要

Background

Illness perceptions shape how patients and caregivers understand and respond to chronic conditions, yet little is known about how they align in diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU) management. This study examined agreement and divergence in illness perceptions, including causal beliefs, among primary care patient–caregiver dyads with DFUs, offering insights to inform communication, education, and family-centered care.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 50 consecutively recruited patient–caregiver dyads who completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). Agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), paired-sample t-tests, and distribution of agreement patterns. Open-ended responses on DFU causal beliefs were thematically analysed to identify convergence and divergence.

Results

Moderate agreement across domains (ICC 0.58-0.70) with significant differences only in Identity, where caregivers attributed more symptoms to DFU than patients (5.30 vs. 3.98, p = 0.004). The greatest disagreement was observed for Consequences (54%) and Identity (42%), reflecting divergent perceptions of illness impact and symptom burden. Both groups most often attributed DFUs to behavioural factors, with greater alignment on lifestyle-related than biomedical or psychosocial determinants.

Conclusions

This first quantitative study of DFU illness perceptions in patient-caregiver dyads reveals both concordance and divergence in illness understanding. Incorporating dyadic perspectives into routine care may improve communication and strengthen family-centered collaborative care. Future interventions could test whether reconciling divergences in Identity and Consequence perceptions reduces caregiver strain and improves patient self-care.