Diabetes during pregnancy is a major health problem. Pregnant women with diabetes are at risk for acute and chronic complications while their infants are at high risk for morbidity and mortality. African American childbearing women have higher rates of diabetes, higher maternal complication rates and higher rates of low birthweight infants. These combined factors make study of pregnant African American women with diabetes a very timely and important group to study. The purpose of the proposed research is to examine barriers to treatment adherence in African American women whose pregnancies have been complicated by gestational diabetes. Using focus groups, modification of the Barriers to Self-Care Scale, and the Diabetes Compliance Questionnaire, the proposed study will examine: 1) what aspects of the diabetes treatment regimen are most difficult to adhere to; 2) environmental and social factors that act as barriers to adherence; 3) whether barriers and measures of adherence vary according to age, parity, or level of education; and 4) environmental and social factors that may be related to adherence among African American women with gestational diabetes. This information is basic to developing acceptable and effective plans of care for this group. The major long-term goal of this program of research is to develop acceptable, and effective treatment plans that improve pregnancy outcomes for African American women whose pregnancies are complicated by diabetes.
