Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management in Non-Hispanic Black Men: a Current State of the Literature

This article discusses the state of type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management research on non-Hispanic Black men with a focus on their knowledge of diabetes, factors that impact T2D self-management and intervention research that specifically targets non-Hispanic Black men with T2D.

Studies on T2D knowledge and barriers and facilitators to T2D self-management in non-Hispanic Black men are limited to small qualitative focus group and in-depth interviews. To date, few T2D interventions for non-Hispanic Black men have been developed and tested. Research shows that non-Hispanic Black men's knowledge of T2D may be less than optimal compared to non-Hispanic white men. Factors that influence T2D self-management in non-Hispanic Black men include gender-related values and beliefs, and a range of other psychosocial (e.g., social support) and structural (e.g., access to health care) factors. Interventions with gender-specific programming may show promise. More studies with larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs are needed to develop programming to effectively target this at-risk population.