Abstract
Purpose :
To characterize experiences with diabetic retinopathy screening among Spanish-speaking adults living with diabetes.
Methods :
Two trained authors conducted in-depth, semi-structured video interviews with 5 Spanish-speaking adults living with diabetes in New Haven, CT between March and June of 2021. Non-Spanish-speaking Hispanic participants were non-eligible for the study. Two independent readers coded each interview transcript and identified thematic categories based on grounded theory and constant comparative methodology. Emerging themes were organized around the socio-ecological framework using unique codes (Figure 1). Themes and quotes were translated to English to facilitate consensus analysis. We achieved thematic saturation for five themes.
Results :
Five recurrent cultural and linguistic-sensitive themes emerged in our interviews: personal accountability, reliable support systems, continuity of care, clear communication, and seasonal barriers. 1) At the individual level, participants viewed loss of vision as an act of self-negligence and held themselves accountable for managing their disease. 2). At the interpersonal level, participants relied on a trusting support system that extended outside of their family including their social networks (e.g., friends). 3) At the community level, participants valued long-term familial-like interactions with providers. 4) At the organizational level, participants valued thorough communication with all members of the care team and equated clear communication with provider excellence. 5). At the structural level, inclement weather and transportation were identified as barriers to appointment attendance.
Conclusions :
Understanding the specific needs and preferences of Hispanic adults living with diabetes is important to delivering high-quality ophthalmologic care. This is particularly important among patients with limited English proficiency who face further barriers to care, such as language and cultural differences. Understanding the beliefs and attitudes of Hispanic patients can help providers develop behaviors and interventions that specifically motivate this high-risk population to participate in diabetic retinopathy screening.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.