Use of complementary and alternative therapies by rural African Americans with type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among non-Hispanic African American adults aged 20 years and older is 11.4%, compared to 8.4% non-Hispanic whites.

"Working hard with it": self-management of type 2 diabetes by rural African Americans.

The specific aims of this study were to describe the experience of self-managing type 2 diabetes among rural dwelling African Americans, to identify facilitators and barriers to self-management, to describe the use of prescribed and alternative therapies, and to elicit recommendations for programs of diabetes care. Ten focus groups were held in 3 rural communities. Men and women were in separate groups with facilitators matched by race and gender.