Masculinity and Self-Care Activities Among Mexican Adult Men With Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: Health habits like type 2 diabetes self-care may be influenced by masculinity. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence from research that quantitatively assesses the relationship between masculinity and self-care among Mexican adult men with type 2 diabetes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between masculinity and self-care behaviors in Mexican adult men with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with adult men previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at five primary healthcare centers. Data was gathered between February and June of 2019. The Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory and Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaire were employed. SPSS v.26 was used to conduct correlations and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 221 adult males participated (mean age = 52.4 years, SD = 9.8; time of diabetes evolution = 8.9 years, SD = 5.8). Alcohol consumption was reported by 42.5%, 25.3% reported smoking, and 17.6% stated having previously been diagnosed with hypertension. Masculinity was negatively correlated with self-care behaviors, including diet ( Conclusions: Masculinity was negatively associated with self-care in Mexican adult men with type 2 diabetes, particularly in the dimensions of diet, self-monitoring of blood glucose, foot care, and oral hygiene. In order to increase self-care adherence, improve glycemic control, avoid complications, and lower premature mortality, future interventions should address these features of masculinity.