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"It’s a Job Living Here": A Qualitative Exploration of Information Motivation and Behavioral Skills (IMB) Related to Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Among Middle-class African Americans

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Abstract

Middle-class African Americans are generally ignored in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) prevention efforts, because of presumed protective factors. However, middle-class African Americans often live with psychosocial stressors not traditionally associated with this socioeconomic position. This study examines influencers related to T2D prevention in this under-researched segment of the African American community. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, questioning explores information, motivators, and behaviors relative to primary T2D prevention. Participants were non-diabetic, middle-class African Americans residing in a medium-sized urban area (n = 20). Six themes were identified related to health beliefs and health behaviors. Barriers and health-promoting features in the built environments were also described by participants. Findings highlight needs in this under-researched segment of the African American population, with implications for researchers, practitioners, and interventionists.

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Data Availability

The dataset generated and analyzed during the current study is not publicly available due to privacy considerations of study participants but may be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The time and openness of those who volunteered to participate in this study are appreciated in ways that cannot be adequately expressed within the confines of the written word.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, USA

    Erica C. Spears

  2. Department of Health Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA

    Idethia S. Harvey

  3. Department of Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA

    Caryn N. Bell

  4. Guidry and Associates, Carrollton, USA

    Jeffrey J. Guidry

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  1. Erica C. Spears
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  2. Idethia S. Harvey
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  4. Jeffrey J. Guidry
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Correspondence to Erica C. Spears.

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Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study, and documentation of such can be provided upon request.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals

The reported study was conducted in accordance with the established ethical and research compliance guidelines for human subjects’ protection of the Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board (IRB2015-0854).

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Spears, E.C., Harvey, I.S., Bell, C.N. et al. "It’s a Job Living Here": A Qualitative Exploration of Information Motivation and Behavioral Skills (IMB) Related to Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Among Middle-class African Americans. J Afr Am St 26, 456–471 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-022-09602-5

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