Introduction - People diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) experience difficulties making and maintaining necessary lifestyle changes (1). Traditional approaches to self-management focus upon an individual’s capacity to make lifestyle change (2) and places responsibility on the individual to adopt strategies supplied by experts, without regard to the person’s social context (3- 6).  Further to this gender is known to impact health status with males experiencing higher rates of diabetes (7). Difference in morbidity and mortality rates in males are often attributed to the adoption by men of behaviours which are detrimental to their health.

Aim- The aim of this study was to explore the influence of social barriers and enablers on adoption of self management practices for males with T2DM.

Methodology - An exploratory qualitative methodology was used with Bourdieu (2000) (8) providing a theoretical framework.

Data collection occurred using a short demographic survey and semi-structured interviews. Interviews addressed 3 broad topics: diagnosis history; enablers and barriers to self-management; and the use of and trust in information sources. A thematic framework was utilised to analyse data. Each interview transcript was analysed by two research team members and entered into NVivo10 for data management. Participants were 14 males with T2DM from the southern area of metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia.

Findings - The four main themes identified which influenced self management in males with T2DM were help seeking behaviour, the impact of family networks and responsibilities,  the impact of work, and social outing and alcohol use. In short, men delayed diagnosis, placed responsibility for dietary management on female family members, worked in roles that inhibited dietary management,while promoting exercise, and faced restrictions around alcohol consumption in social outings.

Conclusion –Men in this study identified factors which influenced their ability to successfully self manage their T2DM. Masculinity in the context of self management, may be a “double-edged privilege” (9) which locks men into patterns of behaviour which reflect their dominance but also prevents effective self management of health. Therefore family member’s roles and male stereotypes warrant consideration when planning and delivering diabetes education to working class males with T2DM.