The role of cultural beliefs and distress in adherence to recommended physical activity among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this research was to examine the role of negative cultural beliefs about exercise and their relation to diabetes distress as determinants of exercise treatment adherence among culturally and socio-economically diverse patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Participants included 193 Latin American (Latino) and non-Latino White patients with T2DM from a region of Southern California, with high rates of T2DM. The research was guided by Betancourt's Integrative Model of Culture, Psychology, and Behavior which specifies the structure of relations among socio-structural, cultural, and psychological factors as determinants of health behavior.

Health professional cultural competence reduces the psychological and behavioral impact of negative healthcare encounters.

Objectives: Negative health care encounters have psychological and behavioral consequences for patients, particularly for minority and low socioeconomic populations. Guided by an integrative model of culture, psychological processes, and health behavior, this study examined whether provider cultural competence reduces the emotional and behavioral consequences of negative health care encounters among Latina and non-Latino White American women in the United States.

Method: A total of 335 women participated in the study, of which 236 (Latina = 112; non-Latino White = 124) reported at least one negative health care encounter during a preventive medical screening exam.