The Graying of the Cool Pose: Examining Active Care Strategies Among Older African-American Men With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objectives The influence of masculinity norms on disparate health outcomes has been established in the literature. What is less understood are the specific ways in which African- American men ‘do health’ by engaging in strategies promoting positive health outcomes. This paper reframes what has been previously examined through a health deficit perspective by reporting the experiences and positive health maintenance strategies of older, African-American men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (diabetes). Methods We employed an intersectional framework to thematically analyze qualitative interviews with African-American male participants (N=15) in our NIA-funded study of diabetes among older adults in Baltimore. Interviews consisted of a modified version of the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, which included discussions of diabetes experiences and self-management strategies. Findings The majority of African-American men in our study link their successful diabetes management to purposeful self-care activities, despite structural and personal limitations. These activities include proactively seeking diabetes education, healthy eating, medication management and engaging in supportive relationships. Discussion Active pursuit of a healthy lifestyle often requires redefining Black manhood, defying negative gender stereotypes of what it means to be a Black male. Results are described in the context of the “Cool Pose,” a framework for understanding how African-American men and boys cope with systemic racial oppression and the unachievable dominant standards of masculinity in the U.S. The results suggest that this framework may be less applicable for older African-American men who promote well-being in the wake of chronic disease as they age.