“They Care But Don’t Understand”: Family Support of African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes

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Abstract
This study evaluated the relationship between perceived social support among African American women with type 2 diabetes and diabetes self-management. The sample included 12 African American female patients at a diabetes clinic in the southeastern United States. Focus group participants responded to questions related to social support and its influence on diabetes management. Support comes particularly from family, but also friends and/or healthcare providers. The dual challenges of diabetes management and multicaregiving were an expected theme from the sessions. A unique emerging theme, however, was the women's perception of a lack of understanding of their needs by members of their social networks. Participants believed that those who provide support claim they care and try to be helpful but provide minimal physical assistance or emotional understanding of their needs, which could vary daily. Those who provide informational support seem to care but misunderstand the type of information actually needed and how best to deliver it. Healthcare providers can help improve communication with these women by actively seeking to meet their support needs and educating families so that provisional support is more meaningful and diabetes management more attainable.