Spirituality in African Americans With Diabetes: Self-Management Through a Relationship With God

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical model about how the spirituality of African Americans affects their self-management of diabetes. The sample consisted of 29 African American men and women, ages 40 to 75, with type 2 diabetes. The authors used a grounded theory design and collected data using minimally structured interviews. The method of analysis was constant comparison. The core concept identified was Self-Management Through a Relationship With God. Participants fell into one of three typologies: (a) Relationship and Responsibility: God Is in Background; (b) Relationship and Responsibility: God Is in Forefront: (c) Relationship and Relinquishing of Self-Management: God Is Healer. These typologies varied according to how participants viewed their relationship with God and the impact of this relationship on their self-management. The spirituality of these African Americans was an important factor that influenced the self-management of their diabetes.