Prochnow Tyler, Patterson Megan S, Park Jeong-Hui, Sherman Ledric D, Smith Matthew Lee
School of Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 212 Adriance Lab Rd., College Station, TX 77843, USA; Center for Health Equity and Evaluation Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Center for Community Health and Aging, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
School of Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 212 Adriance Lab Rd., College Station, TX 77843, USA; Center for Community Health and Aging, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Prev Med. 2025 Jun;195:108292. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2025.108292. Epub 2025 Apr 24.
Social networks and social support are critically important for Black/African American men managing Type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aims to examine how social network characteristics are associated with T2D self-management among Black/African American men.
Cross-sectional survey data were collected from Black/African American men with T2D (n = 1225) from February to June 2024. Network composition included percentages of spouses, children, parents, siblings, friends, extended family, and healthcare providers. Network interaction measures included communication frequency, support quality, and perceptions of network members' health behaviors. Self-care activities were measured using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities scale across diet, physical activity, blood sugar testing, and foot care domains. Multiple regression analyses examined associations between network characteristics and each self-management domain while controlling for demographics.
Diabetes-specific communication frequency was consistently positively associated with all self-care activities (β from 0.09 to 0.18,p < .05). Having very supportive network members was positively associated with diet (β = 0.17,p < .01) and physical activity (β = 0.20,p < .01), though mean social network support showed negative associations with these behaviors (β = -0.13,p = .03; β = -0.14,p = .03). Higher percentages of children were associated with better dietary behaviors (β = 0.06,p = .04), while having spouses (β = 0.06,p = .04), friends (β = 0.06,p = .03), and siblings (β = 0.06,p = .04) was associated with better foot care.
The quality and content of network interactions appear more important than network size for T2D self-management among Black/African American men. Interventions should focus on fostering quality, disease-specific support rather than expanding social networks. Future programs should leverage existing relationships while considering how different network members influence specific aspects of diabetes management.
社交网络和社会支持对于黑人/非裔美国男性管理2型糖尿病（T2D）至关重要。本研究旨在探讨社交网络特征与黑人/非裔美国男性T2D自我管理之间的关联。
于2024年2月至6月收集了患有T2D的黑人/非裔美国男性（n = 1225）的横断面调查数据。网络构成包括配偶、子女、父母、兄弟姐妹、朋友、大家庭成员和医疗保健提供者的百分比。网络互动指标包括沟通频率、支持质量以及对网络成员健康行为的认知。自我护理活动通过糖尿病自我护理活动量表在饮食、体育活动、血糖检测和足部护理领域进行测量。多元回归分析在控制人口统计学因素的同时，检验了网络特征与每个自我管理领域之间的关联。
糖尿病特定的沟通频率始终与所有自我护理活动呈正相关（β值从0.09到0.18，p <.05）。拥有非常支持自己的网络成员与饮食（β = 0.17，p <.01）和体育活动（β = 0.20，p <.01）呈正相关，尽管平均社会网络支持与这些行为呈负相关（β = -0.13，p =.03；β = -0.14，p =.03）。较高比例的子女与更好的饮食行为相关（β = 0.06，p =.04），而有配偶（β = 0.06，p =.04）、朋友（β = 0.06，p =.03）和兄弟姐妹（β = 0.06，p =.04）则与更好的足部护理相关。
对于黑人/非裔美国男性的T2D自我管理而言，网络互动的质量和内容似乎比网络规模更重要。干预措施应侧重于促进高质量的、针对疾病的支持，而不是扩大社交网络。未来的项目应利用现有关系，同时考虑不同网络成员如何影响糖尿病管理的具体方面。
