Revising Diabetes Programming for Black Men and Their Families

Personalized Lifestyle Modifications for Improved Metabolic Health: The Role of Cultural Sensitivity and Health Communication in Type 2 Diabetes Management

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a chronic multifaceted metabolic condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels with varying degrees of insulin resistance and abnormal insulin production. Lifestyle modifications, such as those defined by the guidelines for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), are foundational for glycemic control. A current gap in T2D management is addressing DSMES which is tailored to best serve the diversity of patients with this disease. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the current literature related to lifestyle modification for T2D, the importance of culturally sensitive T2D management programs, and the impact culturally sensitive and diverse T2D management programs have on cardiometabolic health. Despite being disproportionately affected by T2D, racial and ethnic minorities have low referral rates for DSMES. This growing disparity may be exacerbated by a lack of awareness of how to adapt lifestyle modifications in a culturally competent manner and how social determinants of health (SDOH) may affect the infrastructure and resources available to diverse patient populations. Currently, there is limited research on how DSMES is addressed to include culturally and literacy-sensitive recommendations in the United States. Patient-centered care, emphasizing personalized DSMES, can lead to improved glycemic control, reduced healthcare costs, and improved cardiometabolic health. A key component of effective DSMES should include culturally and literacy-sensitive approaches with an awareness of the impact of SDOH. Understanding how ethnicity, race, and culture influence experiences with T2D management can help providers prescribe more patient-centered and sustainable recommendations.

Personal Agency and Social Supports to Manage Health Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Men With Diabetes

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic communities, especially among men who develop this chronic condition at earlier ages. Personal agency and social support are vital aspects to diabetes management. However, less is known about the relationship between these variables among men living with diabetes. The purposes of this study were to identify (1) levels of personal agency to manage health, (2) sources of social supports to manage health based on personal agency levels, and (3) factors associated with lower personal agency to manage health. Cross-sectional data from non-Hispanic Black (n = 381) and Hispanic (n = 292) men aged 40 years or older with T2D were collected using an internet-delivered questionnaire. Three binary logistic regression models were fitted to assess sociodemographics, health indicators, and support sources associated with weaker personal agency to manage health. About 68% of participants reported having the strongest personal agency relative to 32.1% reporting weaker personal agency. Men who relied more on their spouse/partner (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, p = .025), coworkers (OR = 1.59, p = .008), or faith-based organizations (OR = 1.29, p = .029) for ongoing help/support to improve their health and manage health problems were more likely to have weaker personal agency. Conversely, men who relied more on their health care providers for ongoing help/support to improve their health and manage health problems were less likely to have weaker personal agency to manage health (OR = 0.74, p < .001). Findings suggest personal agency may influence men's support needs to manage T2D, which may also be influenced by cultural, socioeconomics, and the composition of social networks.

Men's Experiences With Managing Type 2 Diabetes and Their Encounters With Health Professionals: A Scoping Review

Type 2 diabetes is on the rise globally, and previous research has identified gender as one known risk factor for developing this disease. Gender has also been reported to affect patients' experiences of managing type 2 diabetes. However, little is known of men's specific experiences with type 2 diabetes, as research with a gendered focus has concentrated more on women's experiences with the disease. This scoping review explores how research has addressed men's experiences of managing type 2 diabetes and their encounters with health professionals. The review consists of an iterative process, involving six steps: identification of the research questions, identification of relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, collating and summarizing results, and consultation with external stakeholders. Through the process, 28 publications were identified, which indicate a gap in research on patients' experiences with type 2 diabetes. The majority of the identified studies focuses on men from an ethnic minority due to their poorer health outcomes. However, a knowledge gap regarding men belonging to an ethnic or racial majority warrants further attention, as studies indicate that men who share similar social economic status face similar barriers to improving the management of type 2 diabetes. There is little discussion of how the gendered dynamics in encounters between patients and health professionals affect the management of type 2 diabetes. This review suggests a need for further research that explores how practices of masculinities, that is, the normative practices guiding men's behavior, intersect with men's experiences with type 2 diabetes in a broader perspective.

The Graying of the Cool Pose: Examining Active Care Strategies Among Older African-American Men With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES

The influence of masculinity norms on disparate health outcomes has been established in the literature. What is less understood are the specific ways in which African-American men "do health" by engaging in strategies promoting positive health outcomes. This article reframes what has been previously examined through a health deficit perspective by reporting the experiences and positive health maintenance strategies of older, African-American men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (diabetes).

METHODS

We employed an intersectional framework to thematically analyze qualitative interviews with African-American male participants (N = 15) in our National Institute on Aging-funded study of diabetes among older adults in Baltimore. Interviews consisted of a modified version of the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, which included discussions of diabetes experiences and self-management strategies.

RESULTS

The majority of African-American men in our study link their successful diabetes management to purposeful self-care activities, despite structural and personal limitations. These activities include proactively seeking diabetes education, healthy eating, medication management, and engaging in supportive relationships.

DISCUSSION

Active pursuit of a healthy lifestyle often requires redefining Black manhood, defying negative gender stereotypes of what it means to be a Black male. Results are described in the context of the "Cool Pose," a framework for understanding how African-American men and boys cope with systemic racial oppression and the unachievable dominant standards of masculinity in the United States. The results suggest that this framework may be less applicable for older African-American men who promote well-being in the wake of chronic disease as they age.