Perceived Facilitators and Barriers to Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management and Care among Middle to Older Aged African Americans Living in North Carolina
[Thesis]
Gantz, Jazmine M.
Hill, Ashley
Capella University
2020
96
D.P.H.
Capella University
2020
The goal of this project was to examine perspectives on perceived barriers to and facilitators of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) self-management among middle aged to older African Americans and to provide recommendations for future. Recruited from a local church in NC, twenty African Americans with T2DM participated. Eligibility criteria included both males and females ages 40-70 with a physician diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). In depth interview questions were presented to identify factors that helped as well as hindered the management of diabetes. Additionally, using a 10-item survey, data were collected to gather personal, medical, and social information on the participants' history related to diabetes. Interview data were transcribed and managed using NVivo software. Previous findings show that support from family and friends and physician guidance were the facilitators of self-management. Barriers were difficulty making lifestyle changes and dietary restrictions. Within the African American population, T2DM is a grave and persistent health problem. Future interventions should be designed to not only focus on providing support for African Americans with T2DM, but should also on overcoming the identified barriers that promote ineffective self-management in individuals with T2DM.