Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Black Mothers’ Birthing Center Experiences And Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices, Natashia King-Conner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistence of racial disparities in breastfeeding is associated with a range of interconnected factors, such as historical, cultural, social, social, and psychological. The current gap in the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among Black mothers and White mothers has led to rising concerns in the United States. A basic qualitative approach was used to conceptualize the multidimensional constructs of the social–ecological model to investigate the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and community-level structures and existing policies in birthing centers that inadvertently harbor biases that impede care for Black mothers. Data were gathered through purposeful sampling and semistructured interviews with 10 Black mothers …

Exploring The Influences Of Culture On Hand-Hygiene Beliefs Of Foreign-Born Healthcare Workers, Sheila Blanche Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe hand-hygiene practices of nonadherent health care workers (HCWs) are a major threat to patient safety and thus continue to be a concern for healthcare leaders and administrators worldwide. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which are linked to HCWs' unclean hands, are prevalent throughout global healthcare settings. Global migration in the nursing profession and intercontinental travel among direct patient care providers make it challenging for healthcare leaders to sustain HCWs' adherence to hand-hygiene practices. The purpose of this grounded study was to explore the influence of the cultural beliefs about hand-hygiene practices of foreign-born HCWs. The theory of planned behavior was used …

Ambivalence Over Emotion Expression And The Effects Of Religious Coping In African American Christians, Anya Loraine Dobbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans are 10% more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to report having serious mental health issues from psychological stressors. Mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety, that arise from psychological stressors, are more than likely to go untreated in African Americans. African Americans are more likely to turn to religion- their church, their pastors, and fellow parishioners to address these concerns. Religion and religious coping has influenced African Americans’ attitudes regarding help-seeking and mental health treatment, with the “Black Church” historically being a source of many things, including mental health care. Pargament’s theory of religious coping served as a …

Understanding How Religious Practices Influence Self-Care In Black Churchgoers Diagnosed With Hypertension, Taquina C. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Religion plays an essential role in managing health; however, there is limited research on religious practices among Black churchgoers diagnosed with hypertension. This research aims to understand how religious practices influence self-care in Black churchgoers diagnosed with hypertension. The sample consisted of 21 Black men and women, ages 29 to 70 years, with a clinical diagnosis of hypertension. Participants were recruited from two local, predominately Black churches in South Carolina and administered semistructured interviews to participants. A grounded theory design was used, and the data analysis consisted of constant comparison. Two core concepts were identified. One core concept identified was …

Developing A Lifestyle Modification Tool To Prevent And Manage Elevated Blood Pressure Among African Americans, Magdalene Oziwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension is a national medical problem that has been predominantly seen amongst African Americans. Within this community, hypertension has been associated with obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition. It is for this reason that lifestyle modifications can be used as applied tools in the field of nursing in the prevention and management of hypertension among African American patients. This doctoral project was conducted to address the gap in nursing practice that currently exists for the African American population with regards to hypertension. The project focused on a nursing staff education program with 10 participants to promote the implementation of …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Youth Who Recidivate In Diversion Programs, Justin Richards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are high rates of recidivism among U.S. Black youth when compared to other races, such as Whites and Hispanics. The purpose of the study was to examine the lived experiences of Black youth in the juvenile justice system and in diversion programs. Using a phenomenological qualitative method, twelve Black adults between the ages of 18 to 40 were interviewed about their lived experiences while participating in mental health courts and in-home probation as youth. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the risk, need, and responsivity model. The primary research question examined the lived experiences and perceptions …

The Social Work Perspective Regarding The Underutilization Of Mental Health Services Among African American Families, Carissma Tempest Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underutilization of mental health services amongst African American families has been a long-standing concern in the African American community within large metropolitan cities in Texas. The metropolitan cities are Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and McAllen. There remain experiences that impede families’ ability to engage in mental health services. These experiences involve the conflict between prayer and therapy, stigma, lack of awareness of local mental health services, and cultural competency. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore experiences of African American families and how those experiences affect mental health engagement, as well as how practicing …

African American Females And Herpes Simplex Virus 2: A Basic Interpretive Qualitative Study, Cherlisa Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, African American females are most susceptible to HSV-2 and are often asymptomatically diagnosed. Yet, the perceived benefit of discussing sexual health as well as recognizing a need to discuss HSV-2 with a healthcare provider was an identified gap in the existing research and current study findings. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to understand the experiences of African American females who received an asymptomatic HSV-2 diagnosis. The health belief model constructs guided this study. Outlined through semi-structured interviews were the experiences of seven African American females diagnosed with HSV-2 in Fulton County, GA, as …

Mandibular Attachment Device Effects On African American Veterans With Heart Failure, Tracey T. F. Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure is a growing epidemic that affects people nationwide and is disproportionate to African Americans. The purpose of this quantitative repeated measures study was to determine whether mandibular attachment device (MAD) therapy impacts symptoms of heart failure in African American male veterans diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The oxidative stress theory was applied in this study to assess whether MAD therapy received from Veterans Affairs (VA) dental clinics impacted heart failure symptoms, after controlling for patient body mass index (BMI) levels and smoking status. Research questions examined whether MAD had a significant effect on symptoms of heart failure …

Program Evaluation Of A Black Barbershop Health Outreach Campaign, Berkina Denise Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black-owned barbershops in the Black community lack barber administered interventions to provide education and health screenings to Black men. Increasing knowledge of health assessments in a black barbershop setting increases the number of health screenings and preventative care among Black men. Grounded in general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative summative program evaluation was to explore the extent to which a nonprofit Black barbershop health program aligns with the Health Research (HR) program objectives. The evaluation was performed for a nonprofit organization located in Maryland, 6 years after the organization implemented the HR Program Network of barbers and salon …

Impact Of Race-Related Stress And Intraracial Microaggressions On Self-Efficacy Of African Descendants, Samina Long

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Race-related stress such as ancestral trauma and experiences of out- and in-group microaggressions can be intergenerationally transmitted from parent to child. The current study was conducted to address the need for research on race-related trauma and out- and in-group discrimination by providing evidence-based research on whether African descendants experiencing and witnessing race-related stress and intraracial microaggressions results in low self-efficacy. The purpose of this quantitative, multiple regression design was to explore the relationships among race-related stress, intraracial microaggressions, and self-efficacy, which may provide clarity on the psychological impact of these stressors. This study addressed the question of whether race-related stress …

Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Filipino Americans: Understanding Enculturation, Depression, And Anxiety, Kristoffer John Almazan Rouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Filipino Americans have some of the highest levels of psychological distress among all Asian Americans. However, underrepresentation in psychological studies and a unique set of cultural values and norms contribute to the lack of literature on the sources of this distress among Filipino Americans. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how aspects of cultural assimilation and norms of Filipino culture affect willingness of Filipino Americans to seek mental health services. Several factors, enculturation, anxiety, and depression, among Filipino Americans were examined to predict influence on help-seeking behaviors. A sample of 120 Filipino Americans living in the Pacific …

Area-Level Factors Linked To Obesity In African American And Caucasian Women In Michigan, Marjorie Arrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a major public health crisis, affecting every segment of the U.S. population. African American women have higher prevalence of obesity than all other subpopulations and are disproportionately burdened by the disease and its comorbidities. Despite this disparity, African American women are often underrepresented in obesity research. This research examined obesity-related risk factors specific to African American women compared to those for Caucasian women. The design was based on the socioecological model and social cognitive theory, both emphasizing the impact of social factors on health outcomes. The data set included only adult Michigan women from the NHANES study. Multiple …

Identifying Strategies That Address Race-Based Traumatic Stress Of African Americans In Rural Mississippi, Syrenia Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a dramatic increase of race-based encounters that have had an extensive health impact on African Americans. Social workers and other mental health professionals play a crucial role in working with African American adults who experience race-based traumatic stress. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify strategies to address race-based traumatic stress from a mental health perspective. Racial encounter coping appraisal and socialization theory (RECAST) guided this study where eight social workers from the local community mental health center in rural Mississippi completed an open-ended questionnaire to identify and determine culturally competent treatment strategies for African …

African American College Students’ Attitudes Toward Help Seeking For Mental Health Illness, Sylvia Krow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has shown that African Americans are less likely to seek treatment for mental health illness compared to individuals in other ethnic groups. Research has also revealed that African American college students’ attitudes, perceptions, and stigmas against mental illness impacts their willingness to seek treatment for mental illness. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational study was to investigate the predictive relationships between ethnic identity, perceptions of mental illness, stigma and attitudes toward seeking professional help for mental illness among African American college students attending Historically Black colleges and universities. The research question addressed the predictive relationships between ethnic …

Suicidal Ideation, Suicidality, And Hiv/Aids Infection Or Diagnosis Among Asian American Sexual Minorities, Francis Azih Ngene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Asian American men who have sex with men (MSM) are an understudied minority. They are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS and are also impacted by psychosocial and mental health factors of depression, substance use, drug use, and alcohol use/abuse, any of which may lead to suicidal ideation and suicidality. These associations have not been widely studied in this population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to use the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to examine these psychosocial and mental health issues and their association with suicidal ideation, suicidality, and HIV/AIDS infection or diagnosis among Asian American …

Perspectives Of African Americans Diagnosed With End Stage Renal Disease And Their Perceptions Regarding Accessibility Of Care, Toya Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

End stage renal disease (ESRD) is the final phase of kidney disease. African Americans make up 35% of all ESRD cases, which is rising. They lead all other racial groups and are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with ESRD. Researchers have reported quantitative results involving this population, but none have focused on their experiences. The researcher sought to capture the experiences of these patients and their perceptions regarding access to healthcare to determine the role that access to care played in their condition. Interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of their experiences related to their use of …

Embracing Ujima: A Grounded Theory Of African Americans Choosing The Counseling Profession, Rashida Karriem Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic diverse populations experience discrimination in educational and career attainment and remain underrepresented in the counseling profession. The current literature provides limited guidance for the counseling profession and academic institutions for successfully recruiting racial and ethnic minority students in a master's level counselor training program. Social Constructivist theory and Adlerian/ Individual Psychology are the theoretical foundations of the study. This constructivist grounded theory study sought to understand the career decision-making process of African Americans choosing to enter in the counseling profession and the influence of racial and ethnic identity on this decision-making process. Utilizing semistructured interviews via video-conferencing; …

Religious Coping And Ptsd Symptom Management Among African Americans: A Clergy Perspective, Barbra Talley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Data indicated that although African Americans reported fewer occurrences of traumatic events than that of their racial/ethnic counterparts, however, the degree of traumatic events experienced by African Americans tends to be more serious and violent in nature. More so, lower recovery outcomes associated with PTSD among African Americans have been attributed to varying factors, such as financial restrictions, strained health care access, ineffective coping strategies as well as a mistrust of medical and clinical approaches, thus leading African Americans to seek faith-based approaches. This phenomenological study investigated clergy perspectives on religious coping constructs relative to the management of PTSD symptoms. …

Acculturation And Diabetes Among New York's Bangladeshi Immigrants, Renee Mehrra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are more than 3.4 million South Asians in the United States. Among this subgroup, Bangladeshis in New York have a high prevalence of Type 2 diabetes ranging from 15 to 24% compared to the general population. This study examined the effect of acculturation through length of stay in the United States and understanding of the English language, and the role of gender on self-efficacy (SE) and diabetes self-management among 336 New York Bangladeshi immigrants between the ages of 21 and 75 who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with A1C -‰¥ 6.5%, as verified by their medical record …

Self-Concealment, Perceived Discrimination, And African American Treatment Choices For Major Depression, Danita Morales Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans have a higher proclivity to depression than other ethnic groups in the United States and also have a greater propensity to avoid seeking professional mental health treatment. The available research has shown that racial and cultural barriers such as perceived discrimination and self-concealment are the primary factors that negatively affect African Americans' attitudes toward mental health itself and mental health treatment. Perceived discrimination and self-concealment may also negatively affect whether African Americans seek help for depression and from whom, but further investigation was needed. The quantitative survey study provided answers to which factors influence whether and where African …

African American Parents' Perceptions Of Childhood Obesity In Broward County, Kenol Aris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children may become overweight or obese for different reasons, and childhood obesity may have health consequences such as Type 2 diabetes and asthma. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of African American parents of elementary-age children with obesity living in Broward County, Florida about the causes and consequences of childhood obesity. The health belief model (HBM) guided this study. Interview data were gathered from 9 participants who met the criteria of being African American parents of elementary-age children with obesity living in Broward County, Florida. Moustakas- steps to analyze the data collected led to …

An Investigation Of The Help-Seeking Attitudes Of African American Christian Churchgoers, Kristi Madison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Black Church has been a powerful support system for African Americans, providing economic, and psychological support in addition to meeting spiritual and religious needs. African American church leaders continue to provide a multitude of services to the community; however, research has shown that African American Protestant Christian churchgoers'€™ preference for informal supports may exacerbate some symptoms of mental illness as people may postpone seeking formal help. Utilizing a nonexperimental, cross-€sectional design, this study examined the relationship between these churchgoers'€™ attitudes toward religious help-€seeking and attitudes toward professional help-€seeking. One hundred four African American Protestant Christian churchgoers in the mid-Atlantic …

Improving Hypertensive Therapy Outcomes Among African Americans, Tanya Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of nonadherence to prescribed blood pressure medication adversely impacts

African Americans (AA) in comparison to their European American counterparts. The

associated health consequences of uncontrolled hypertension include heart failure, stroke,

and renal dysfunction. And the treatment of the complications negatively impacts quality

of life and contributes to increased health care costs. To address the problem at 1 clinic, a

quality improvement (QI) project was developed by the clinic nursing staff, but the

project had never been evaluated. The project included blood pressure measurements

assessed among AA patients before and after implementation of a 4-item Morisky

Medication-Taking Adherence Scale …

Social And Cultural Factors Influencing The Management Of Type 2 Diabetes Among African American Men, Lavetta W. Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are more likely to have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes than non-Hispanic White Americans and are less likely to adhere to treatment. Culture in the African American community plays a key role in how this community copes with illness and the health care system. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of social and cultural determinants of Type 2 diabetes self-management among African American men. Bandura's social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. The research question sought to identify cultural and social factors that contribute or protect how African American men …

Mental Health Disparities Among Minority Populations, Arrey Irenee Eyongherok

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the existence of effective treatments, mental health care disparities exist in the availability, accessibility, and quality of services for racial and ethnic minority groups. People living with serious mental complaints often resist engaging in treatments and experience high rates of dropout; poor engagement can lead to worse clinical outcomes. Addressing the complex mental health care needs of racial and ethnic minorities warrants considering evidence-based strategies to help reduce disparities. This systematic review sought to provide an analysis of published literature about the barriers and effective strategies in identifying and treating minority patients with mental health disorders. The practice-focused question …

The Impact Of Campus Health Services On The Attitudes, Perceptions, Beliefs, And Behaviors Of Historically Black College And University Students, Micah Mccray Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans suffer worse health outcomes related to chronic disease than any other racial or ethnic group. The negative effects associated with poor dietary habits and a low propensity to exercise impact young adult African Americans who attend Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) and can lead to higher mortality rates. It is important for HBCU campus health centers to address the perceptions and beliefs of students to positively impact health behaviors associated with diet and exercise. At the time of this study, there was limited research on-campus health centers and their impact on HBCU student health beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, this …

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Physical Activity, And Colorectal Cancer Among African Americans, Stella Francoise Nanga Ndzana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a deadly and costly cancer, especially among African Americans. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective, cross-sectional study was to examine African Americans' health behaviors that may have an association with CRC. The Health Belief Model was used to guide this study. The study addressed whether there is a statistical association between fruit intake, vegetable intake, and physical activity, and the occurrence of CRC while controlling for confounders, such as body mass index, smoking status, and income level. After conducting an overall analysis, the final research question examined if the association varied by race. In this study, …

Impact Of Acculturation On Body Mass Index In Haitians, Nirva Berthold

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Longer-term immigrants residing in the United States exhibit physical health decline related to higher body mass index (BMI). Theories on immigrant acculturation have been used to examine health patterns by length of stay in the United States. The purpose of this cross-sectional study, guided by the Schwartz model of acculturation, was to examine the effect of acculturation and length of stay in the United States on BMI in a sample of Haitian immigrants living in the Northeast Metropolitan area. The research question was used to examine the effects of acculturation and length of stay on BMI in the convenience sample …

Facilitating Factors And Positive Reasons African American Men Attend Psychotherapy, Taia Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that African American men are one of the most marginalized, targeted, and disenfranchised groups of people. In the past, African American men were less likely to attend psychotherapy compared to other ethnicities. Barriers to treatment includes the following: distrust in the mental health system, self-reliant behaviors, religious ideologies, cultural stigmas, and the ideology of what it means to be a man and an African American man in America. This study addressed the lack of qualitative studies on the experiences of African American men who attend psychotherapy by exploring the lived experiences of 10 African American men who …