Improving diabetes screening for South Asians

Translation, Development and Piloting of the Leicester Self Assessment (LSA) Diabetes Screening Questionnaire for use in Non-English Speaking High Risk Populations.

• Naina Patel of the University of Leicester
• £6,750; 12-month small grant
• September 2012 – September 2013

Background to project

Screening studies have shown that there are higher rates of undiagnosed diabetes and diabetes-related complications among South Asian people. Researchers at the University of Leicester have found that a risk score developed in partnership with Diabetes UK was poorly understood and found to be confusing among non-English speaking South Asian communities (Gujarati and Punjabi). It is important that the tools used to screen people for diabetes are made easier to use, in order to make them more effective at identifying those at high risk.

Project aims

Naina Patel and her colleagues at the University of Leicester will hold meetings with small groups of people from South Asian communities and go through the risk score questionnaire with them to see whether they can read, understand and complete it easily.

Potential benefit to people with diabetes

Testing, refinement and improved translation of the risk score questionnaire for South Asian people. will enable it to be understood and completed more easily. This would make cost-effective screening for diabetes more accessible for these hard to reach populations who are at high risk of diabetes, reducing their risk of developing the condition and suffering from diabetes-related complications.