Associations between perceived chronic care quality, perceived patient centeredness, and illness representations among persons with diabetes.

Patient beliefs about their illness can motivate behaviors consistent with good disease management. Perceived high-quality chronic care would be expected to increase likelihood of having such beliefs. Associations between perceived quality of chronic care and illness representations, and associations between patient centeredness and illness representations were assessed among persons with diabetes. A mail survey of diabetic patients visiting a multispecialty physician network serving urban and suburban populations in a large midwestern city was conducted. The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care-5A questionnaire was used to assess perceived chronic care quality and patient centeredness. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire was used to assess illness representations. Of 500 mailed surveys, 89 completed surveys were returned. The sample consisted mostly of retirees (61%), Whites (81%), and women (60%). Higher perceived chronic care quality was associated with better disease understanding of diabetes (0.24, p = .05). Patients reporting higher patient centeredness (or lower patient-centeredness scores) indicated better disease understanding (-0.26, p = .04) and those reporting higher patient centeredness (or lower patient-centeredness scores) perceived less impact of illness (0.29, p = .02). Chronic care quality as defined in the Chronic Care Model and consistency of chronic care with patient expectations (patient centeredness) was associated with illness representations favorable for good self-care management.