Abstract
Older African American men are at increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) but demonstrate high rates of poor illness management. They also participate in interventions targeting illness management at extremely low rates and are at high risk for dropout from clinical trials. One modifiable factor that has been identified in the literature that contributes to these disparities is health beliefs particular to men. Yet, despite the fact that illness management interventions have been developed to meet the needs of African Americans, none have followed recommendations to use gender-sensitive programming to meet the needs of men. The primary aim of this study was to advance our understanding of the intersection of age, race/ethnicity and gender on T2D self-management among older African American men, and to explore their preferences for a peer-led T2D self-management intervention. Two focus groups were conducted with older African American men (n = 12) over a 6-month period. Sessions lasted 90 min, were audiotaped, and analyzed using thematic content analysis techniques. The most prominent themes included: (a) the influence of gendered values and beliefs on health behavior; (b) quantity and quality of patient-provider communication; (c) social and structural barriers to T2D self-management; and (d) preferences for peer-led T2D self-management interventions. Results suggest that these themes may be particularly salient for T2D self-management in older African American men, and that this population may be receptive to a peer-led T2D self-management intervention.
Highlights
In the United States, about 30 million of adults over the age of 18 have diabetes
The most prominent themes included: (a) the influence of gendered values and beliefs on health behavior; (b) quantity and quality of patient-provider communication; (c) social and structural barriers to Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) self-management; and (d) preferences for peer-led T2D self-management interventions. Results suggest that these themes may be salient for T2D self-management in older African American men, and that this population may be receptive to a peer-led T2D self-management intervention
Differences in diabetes diagnosis vary by gender and race—13% of black men have diabetes compared to black women, and black men have a 1.5 higher incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) compared to non-Hispanic White men
Summary
In the United States, about 30 million (or 12%) of adults over the age of 18 have diabetes. For adults over the age of 65, this percentage increases to 25% [1]. Differences in diabetes diagnosis vary by gender and race—13% of black men have diabetes compared to black women, and black men have a 1.5 higher incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) compared to non-Hispanic White men. Black men in particular are twice as likely to die from diabetes-related complications and this disparity increases among men over the age of 55 [1]. Black men have poorer glycemic control compared to non-Hispanic White men, and as a result, their risk for these diabetes complications is higher [2,3]
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