Gender differences in psychosocial characteristics and diabetes self‐management among inner‐city African Americans

Abstract

Abstract Aims To characterize differences in psychosocial variables between inner‐city African American men and women with type 2 diabetes, and to test if the relationships between psychosocial variables and diabetes self‐management behaviours differ by gender. Design Secondary analysis. Methods We used baseline data from participants enrolled in the Prevention through Lifestyle Intervention and Numeracy 4 Success‐Diabetes study (N = 37). Differences in psychosocial variables between genders were compared using chi‐square tests. A two‐way analysis of variance was then used to compare self‐management scores by different psychosocial characteristics and gender. Results There was no statistically significant difference in psychosocial characteristics between genders. High diabetes knowledge and self‐efficacy were associated with better self‐management behaviours in African American women but not in men. In contrast, high numeracy was associated with better diabetes self‐management only in men. Low depression, high health literacy, and high social support were associated with better self‐management practices in both genders.

Keywords

• African Americans
• diabetes
• diabetes self‐management
• gender‐specific differences
• psychosocial characteristics