Table 1.
Characteristics of Focus Group Participants
| Patients (N = 17)a | |
| Age, median (IQR), years | 53.2 (49.9 – 55.7) |
| Race, % (N) | |
| Black | 82 (14) |
| White | 12 (2) |
| Education level, % (N) | |
| Less than high school | 47 (8) |
| High school graduate/GED | 24 (4) |
| Some college or technical school | 29 (5) |
| Household annual income, % (N) | |
| < $15,000 | 53 (9) |
| $15,000 - $24,999 | 35 (6) |
| $25,000 - $29,999 | 12 (2) |
| Smoking status, % (N) | |
| Current smoker, % | 35 (6) |
| Health insurance, % (N) | |
| Employer group plan | 24 (4) |
| Medicare/Medicaid | 42 (7) |
| No insurance | 34 (6) |
| Health literacy (s-STOFHLA), % (N) | |
| Inadequate (score 0-16) | 53 (9) |
| Marginal (score 17-22) | 6 (1) |
| Adequate (score 23-36) | 41 (7) |
| Diabetes duration, median (IQR), years, | 8.0 (5.0 – 8.0) |
| Medical comorbidity, % (N) | |
| Hypertension | 71 (12) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 47 (8) |
| Family history of diabetes (1st immediate relative), % (N) | 65 (11) |
| Diabetes therapy, % | |
| Oral hypoglycemic agent only | 53 (9) |
| Insulin + Oral hypoglycemic agent | 41 (7) |
| HbA1c,b median (IQR), % | 7.4 (7.1 – 9.6) |
| Blood pressure,b median (IQR), mm Hg | |
| Systolic | 141.5 (121.0 – 151.0) |
| Diastolic | 79.5 (71.0 – 91.0) |
| LDL-cholesterol,b median (IQR), mg/dl | 98.0 (78.0 – 113.0) |
| Body mass index,b median (IQR), kg/m2 | 37.9 (28.7 – 39.1) |
| Caregivers (N = 5) | |
| Race, % (N) | |
| Black | 100 (5) |
| Relationship with diabetes patient, N | |
| Daughter | 1 |
| Spouse | 4 |
| Providers (N = 15)c | |
| Race, % (N) | |
| White | 93 (14) |
| Black | 7 (1) |
| Specialties, % (N) | |
| Family Medicine | 100 (15) |
| Family Medicine/Obstetrics/Gynecology | 7 (1) |
| Clinical experience, median (IQR), years | 4.0 (3.0 – 4.0) |
Notes.
a
N = 15 for HbA1c, blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, and body mass index.
b
Values were obtained from medical chart review, all other data obtained at same visit as focus group discussion.
Race/ethnicity was not reported for 1 patient. Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range; HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; LDL, Low-density lipoprotein.
c
Providers included 10 board certified physicians, 4 physicians in their 3rd year family medicine residency training program, and 1 nurse practitioner/registered dietician.