Managing Diabetic Distress in African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction

Diabetic distress—a specific emotional burden stemming from the daily challenges of managing type 2 diabetes—has emerged as a critical factor affecting patient outcomes. African Americans, who experience disproportionate rates of type 2 diabetes and related complications, often encounter unique socio-economic and systemic barriers that exacerbate this distress. This abstract synthesizes a systematic review of studies published over the past five years to assess the prevalence, clinical impact, and intervention strategies for diabetic distress among African American patients, emphasizing practical applications for healthcare professionals.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases including PubMed, ClinicalKey, and PsycInfo. The review focused on studies that explicitly evaluated diabetic distress in African American populations with type 2 diabetes. Keywords such as “diabetes,” “type 2 diabetes mellitus,” “diabetic distress,” “African Americans,” and “health outcomes” were used to identify relevant articles. Fifteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed for assessment tools (e.g., the Diabetes Distress Scale-17 and Problem Areas in Diabetes scale), intervention modalities, and their association with clinical outcomes such as glycemic control and self-management behaviors.

Results

The review revealed that diabetic distress is highly prevalent among African American patients with type 2 diabetes, with elevated distress levels correlating with poorer glycemic control, reduced self-efficacy, and lower adherence to treatment regimens. Interventions—including diabetes self-management education (DSME), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and culturally tailored peer support programs—demonstrated significant improvements. Patients participating in these interventions showed reductions in distress scores alongside meaningful decreases in HbA1c levels and other key health metrics. Notably, studies underscored interventions addressing cultural and socio-economic challenges yielded the most robust improvements in patient engagement and clinical outcomes, thereby highlighting their immediate practical application in clinical settings.

Conclusion

Addressing diabetic distress in African American patients is essential for optimizing diabetes management and mitigating health disparities. This review advocates for the integration of culturally sensitive, patient-centered interventions into routine diabetes care to enhance self-management and reduce adverse clinical outcomes. Future research with larger and more diverse cohorts is needed to standardize distress assessment tools and refine intervention strategies. Such efforts are vital to ensure safe patient care and promote health equity.