# Perceived risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: predictors of perceived susceptibility among young adults in Jordan

## TL;DR

This study examines how university students in Jordan perceive their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and identifies factors that influence this perception.

## Contribution

The study identifies high-income level as a significant predictor of perceived susceptibility to type 2 diabetes among young adults in Jordan.

## Key findings

- Only 25% of students believed they had a high potential of developing T2DM.
- Perceived susceptibility was higher among engineering/science students, males, those with higher income, and overweight individuals.
- High income was the only significant predictor of higher perceived susceptibility to T2DM.

## Abstract

The growing burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus among young adults is a global public health problem. This study aimed to explore risk perception of type 2 diabetes mellitus among university students in Jordan and to identify predictors of perceived susceptibility.

A cross-sectional study that used proportional stratified sampling to recruit 496 third year university students in all fields of study at the University of Jordan. Participants answered online self-administered validated Arabic questionnaire that was designed based on the constructs of the health belief model. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

The participants in this study evidently underestimated their risk of developing T2DM. Only 25% of students believed that they have high potential of developing T2DM in the future. Perceived susceptibility was low to moderate; it scored lowest among all dimensions of risk perception (mean = 2.86 out of 5). Results of t-test and ANOVA showed that perceived susceptibility was higher among students in engineering and science (p = 0.001), males (p = 0.019), with higher income (p = 0.008), overweight (p = 0.026), and students with little knowledge of T2DM (p = 0.027). Results of logistic regression indicated that high income level was the only significant predictor of higher perceived susceptibility (OR = 2.7. 95%CI 1.35, 3.4). Likelihood of taking preventive action was high (mean = 4.15 out of 5).

Results of this study highlight the need for health system governance to commit to integrate national efforts to design culturally sensitive interventions to raise awareness about the risk of T2DM in Jordan, especially among young adult population.