Abstract 4345218: Religious Beliefs Shape Self-Care among African Immigrant Adults with Hypertension and Diabetes

Background: Self-care behaviors (e.g., medication adherence) are key components of chronic hypertension and diabetes management. Many factors influence chronic disease management, including religious beliefs. Little is known about how religious beliefs influence the self-care of African immigrants living in the US with hypertension and diabetes. Research Question: How do religious beliefs impact self-care of African immigrants living in the US with hypertension and diabetes? Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design and purposive sampling, we enrolled 24 self-identified sub-Saharan African immigrant adults, aged ≥35 years, with self-reported symptomatic hypertension or diabetes who spoke and understood English and resided in the Northeastern US. Participants were interviewed in March 2020–September 2021, and individual audio-taped single in-depth one-on-one interviews were transcribed and analyzed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Results: Participants were on average 59 years old (range: 40–72 years). Most were Nigerian (n=16), male (n=16), married (n=17), living with family (n=21), highly educated (n=21), and reporting enough income to meet their needs (n=21). Participants identified as Pentecostal (n=11), Protestant (n=7), Catholic (n=1), and Muslim (n=5). Two themes emerged from interviews. Theme 1: Religiosity and health beliefs and stress : Participants reported using the Bible as a resource for coping with illness. They believed that their faith in God makes medicine work and helps them reduce stress from illness. Theme 2: Religiosity and self-care : Religious faith (e.g., God’s ability to heal, considering the body as God’s temple that cannot harbor disease), beliefs (e.g., God uses medications to facilitate healing), and practices (e.g., prayer) both influenced participants’ medication adherence and response to symptoms, whether positive or negative. Conclusion: Interventions to promote self-care in African immigrants living in the US with hypertension and diabetes should capitalize on aspects of religious beliefs and practices that foster self-care (e.g., medication adherence) to promote positive health outcomes.