Paper
Sunday, November 4, 2007
257
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers' Perceptions of Glycemic Control
Loretta Heuer, PhD, RN, Department of Practice and Role Development, University of North Dakota College of Nursing, Grand Forks, ND, USA, Cheryl Lausch, MS, MA, RN, Nursing, Migrant Health Service, Inc, Moorhead, MN, USA, and Jane Bergland, PhD, RN, Nursing Department, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, MN, USA.
| Learning Objective #1: Discuss Hispanic migrant farmworkers’ perceptions blood glucose management. |
| Learning Objective #2: Describe the conclusions and implications for clinical practice and education. |
Several studies have been published on the guidelines for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes but few have investigated farmworkers’ perceptions of glycemic monitoring and outcomes. This study focused on Hispanic migrant and seasonal farmworkers diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and their perceptions of glycemic management. A phenomenological design was utilized with a sample of 18 migrant and 16 seasonal participants recruited from two local migrant health centers. A semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions followed by probes was used to obtain in-depth responses during the interviews. The length of the interviews varied between 45 minutes and 2 ½ hours and took place in one of the health centers or participants’ home. All the interviews were audio taped to understand the participants’ perspectives and then transcribed verbatim by a bilingual research transcriptionist. Data were analyzed for the following content: Frequency of blood glucose monitoring, Knowledge of blood glucose readings, Adaptation practices for hypoglycemia, and Overall glycemic management. Due to the long-term health risks associated with poor glucose control, health care providers need to understand the challenges migrant farmworkers encounter as they try to management their blood glucose levels. In addition, future research should include the participants' family members to gain an understading of their perceptions of glycemic management.