Multigenerational timeline and understanding of diabetes and self-care

Testing the practice-theory multigenerational legacies of diabetes, effects of a family member's perceptions of the time line and understanding of diabetes on participants' perceptions of their own diabetes and effect of their own perceptions on self-care were examined. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, 123 participants completed study instruments by mail. Memories of a family member's perception of the time line (r = .25, p = .01) and understanding of diabetes (r = .32, p = .01) were related; participants' own perceptions of time line (β = -.24) and understanding (β = .10) accounted for significant variance in dietary adherence, with time line contributing unique variance (R² = .06, F = 3.3, p = .04). The perceptions were not associated with other self-care behaviors. Findings illuminate effects of time line and understanding of diabetes in patients with family history of diabetes.