257333 Sustainability of healthy lifestyle changes in Type 2 diabetes self-management: Developing initiatives across the lifespan

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 9:30 AM - 9:50 AM

Gauri Bhattacharya, DSW, ACSW, LCSW , College of Nursing and Health Professions, Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, State University, AR
     
BACKGROUND: All Americans including African Americans (AAs) find it difficult to sustain over the long term the healthy lifestyle changes required for Type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management. Yet few studies have addressed challenges to T2D self-management over the adult life span. This community-based study aimed to 1. Examine participants' views of factors and conditions required for healthy life style changes. 2. Assess each participant's understanding of required lifestyle changes over the life span. 3. Develop sustainable T2D self-management strategies for the study population of AAs in rural Arkansas (AR). METHODS: Qualitative data were collected from T2D diagnosed adult AA individuals residing in rural AR. The participants reflected their cumulative life experiences of health care within social, cultural, and historical contexts. Participant narratives across the life span covered health and illness beliefs, diet and physical activities, roles of culture, and community norms. Grounded theory was used to analyze the data. FINDINGS: 1) Health and illness beliefs from earlier life stages shape individual experiences of T2D care in adulthood. 2) AA socio-historical contexts influence community norms and individual T2D-related behaviors. 3) Culturally competent health initiatives across the lifespan experiences can improve T2D management. CONCLUSIONS: The applicability of a lifespan framework to the self-management challenges of T2D diagnosed adult AAs men and women will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Increase the sustainability of type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management among African American adults. 2. Examine individual health care practices over the life span. 3. Assess the life span framework’s utility for and applicability to T2D care.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My current health service research centers on two critical issues: first, how to sustain self-management practices of chronic illnesses and enhance quality of life, and second, how to effectively integrate the trajectories of health care use, and health care outcomes in a community’s socio- cultural and environmental contexts.I am qualified to present because community based minority health research is my area of expertise. I was also this study’s Principal Investigator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5040.0: Evidence-based and Community Transformation Initiatives to Implement Sustainable Healthy Lifestyle Changes