Sources of Uncertainty in Type 2 Diabetes: Explication and Implications for Health Communication Theory and Clinical Practice

Abstract

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 24 million Americans live with type 2 diabetes, and clinical data project that this figure will increase 165% from 2000 to 2050. Thus, there is a pressing need to understand not only the physiological and medical needs, but also the psychological demands associated with the illness. Even though uncertainty has been explicated in various other illness contexts and potentially shapes the experience of type 2 diabetes, very little attention has been paid to the nature of uncertainty in this context. The present study examines the nature of uncertainty through qualitative interviews with 49 individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Using grounded theory methods, various themes emerged relative to the sources of uncertainty. These themes are discussed in light of their potential extension of health communication theory and application to intervention and educational programs for individuals living with type 2 diabetes.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors acknowledge John Caughlin and Brian Quick for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article. A previous version of this article was presented at the 2011 International Communication Association Convention in Boston, MA. The authors dedicate this work to the memory of Professor Dale E. Brashers.