Table 1.

Description of the Risk Perception Survey–Diabetes Mellitus (RPS-DM)

Scales	Number of items	Interpretation	Sample items with response patterns
Composite risk perception	26	Higher score indicates greater overall perceived risk related to diabetes and its complications.	Items from 5 subscales: personal control, worry, optimistic bias, comparative disease risk, environmental risk
Personal control	4	Higher score indicates more perceived control, less perceived risk.	“My own efforts can help control my risks of getting diabetes complications.” Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
Worry	2	Higher score indicates more worry Regarding diabetes complications.	“I worry about getting diabetes complications.” Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
Optimistic bias	2	Higher score indicates more optimistic bias; lower score is more realism/pessimism.	“Compared to other people with diabetes of my same age and sex, I am less likely than they are to get diabetes complications.” Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
Comparative disease risk	9	Higher score indicates greater comparative disease risk of 9 conditions.	How would you rate your risk of: heart attack; blindness; cancer...?
			Almost no risk, slight risk, moderate risk, high risk
Environmental risk	9	Higher score indicates greater perceived risk from 9 environmental conditions.	How would you rate your risk from: violent crime; extreme weather (hot or cold); air pollution…? Almost no risk, slight risk, moderate risk, high risk
Risk knowledge	5	Higher score indicates greater knowledge of diabetes complications.	Having a yearly eye exam, does this… Increase the risk, have no effect on the risk, or decrease the risk of diabetes complications?