Life Sustaining Well-Being Practices and Physiological Health Among Black Men

Authors

• Dakota W. Cintron, Claremont Graduate University
• Monique N. Golden, Connecticut Institute of Technology
• Jennifer M. Boylan, University of Colorado, Denver
• Julia K. Boehm, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Tomiko Yoneda, University of California, Davis
• Hebi Wang, University of California, Davis
• Erik M. Hines, George Mason University
• James L. Moore III, The Ohio State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-3-2026

Abstract

Objective

To identify culturally grounded well-being practices among Black men in midlife and examine their associations with physiological health.

Methods

Analyzing data from the 2004–2005 Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we examined, 116 open-ended responses to the question, “What do you do to make your life go well?” Network topic modeling identified six topics: (1) interpersonal kindness and positive mindset; (2) caring for children; (3) practicing spirituality and faith; (4) maintaining social connections and well-being; (5) avoiding stress; and (6) meaningful work and daily activities. Topic scores, reflecting participants’ tendency to discuss these themes, predicted allostatic load and inflammation in structural equation models adjusting for body mass index, chronic conditions, psychological and subjective well-being, age, income, and education.

Results

Greater emphasis on meaningful work and daily activities predicted lower inflammation and allostatic load, independent of demographic and psychological covariates (p< .05). Other topics were not associated with physiological dysregulation.

Conclusion

Everyday narratives of meaningful work and engagement among Black men are closely linked to physiological health markers, highlighting strengths-based, culturally grounded pathways for public health intervention and health equity.

Comments

This article was originally published in Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in 2026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-026-03032-9

Recommended Citation

Cintron, D.W., Golden, M.N., Boylan, J.M. et al. Life Sustaining Well-Being Practices and Physiological Health Among Black Men. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-026-03032-9

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.