Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of A Primary Care Weight Loss Program, Callie Chiroff, Christine Shaw, Kristin Haglund, Susan Breakwell

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Nurse practitioners at a primary care clinic established a weight loss program to address high obesity rates among their African American patients. Interviews and a retrospective chart review were used to evaluate the weight loss program. Number of appointments was the only significant predictor of weight loss, and there was a strong positive correlation between total number of appointments and weight loss. The overall view of the program was positive. This description and evaluation of the program may be useful to nurse practitioners seeking to develop an individualized effective weight loss intervention for African Americans within a primary care setting.

Reactions Of Low-Income African American Women To Breastfeeding Peer Counselors, Karen Marie Robinson, Leona Vandevusse, Jamarrah Foster

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To examine the influence of breastfeeding peer counseling on the breastfeeding experiences of African American mothers who participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Design

Qualitative study using focus groups.

Setting

Two WIC clinics in Southeast Wisconsin were used for recruitment and data collection.

Participants

A convenience sample of nine African American mothers participated in one of two focus groups.

Methods

The women responded to a series of open-ended questions about their breastfeeding experiences and the effect of breastfeeding peer counselors (BPCs). Content and thematic analyses were used to analyze patterns related to …

Perinatal Nurses: Key To Increasing African American Breast-Feeding Rates, Karen Marie Robinson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Breast milk is the ideal source of nutrition for infants for at least the first 6 months of life. Despite women in the United States reaching national objectives for breast-feeding initiation (75%), racial disparities persist. According to the most recent data, 83% of white mothers initiated breast-feeding whereas only 66% African American mothers did so. Breast-feeding initiation may be amenable to perinatal nursing intervention. Breast-feeding may be a practice that helps bridge the racial divide in perinatal outcomes among African American families. Nurses have an essential role in embracing breast-feeding promotion and support to patients who are least likely to …

Resourcefulness In African American And Caucasian American Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia: Associations With Perceived Burden, Depression, Anxiety, Positive Cognitions, And Psychological Well-Being, Abir K. Bekhet

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Providing care to persons with dementia can have negative effects on caregivers' physical and psychological well-being. This secondary analysis explored relationships among perceived burden, depression, anxiety, resourcefulness, and psychological well-being in 28 African American (AA) and 45 Caucasian American (CA) caregivers of persons with dementia.

Design and Methods

Descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to examine the hypothesized relationships in a sample of 73 caregivers.

Findings

CAs reported greater burden (t = −3.68, p < .001), more anxiety (t = −2.66, p < .01), depression (t = −2.21, p < .05), and hostility (t = −2.30, p < .05) than AAs. AAs reported higher scores than CAs on resourcefulness, positive cognitions, and psychological well-being.

Practice Implications

The study findings provided directions for the development of resourcefulness interventions …

Factors Influencing Self-Care Behaviors Of African Americans With Heart Failure: A Photovoice Project, Aimee Woda, Ruth Belknap, Kristin Haglund, Margaret Sebern, Ashley Lawrence

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to understand the influences of heart failure (HF) self-care among low income, African Americans.

Background

Compared to all other racial groups, African Americans have the highest risk of developing HF, coupled with high mortality and morbidity rates.

Methods

Using the photovoice method, participants related important lifestyle factors through photography. The participants and researcher met for reflection and discussion 2 h per week for six weeks.

Results

Four themes emerged: family support gives me the push I need, social interaction lifts me up, improving my mind to lift depression can improve my heart, and …

Parenting Behaviors Of African American And Caucasian Families: Parent And Child Perceptions, Associations With Child Weight And Ability To Identify Abnormal Weight Status, Michele Polfuss, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined the agreement between parent and child perceptions of parenting behaviors, the relationship of the behaviors with the child's weight status, and the ability of the parent to correctly identify weight status in 176 parent–child dyads (89 Caucasian and 87 African American). Correlational and regression analyses were used. Findings included moderate to weak correlations in child and parent assessments of parenting behaviors. Caucasian dyads had higher correlations than African American dyads. Most parents correctly identified their own and their child's weight status. Parents of overweight children used increased controlling behaviors, but the number of controlling behaviors decreased when …

Physical Activity Effects On Depressive Symptoms In Black Adults, Jessica D. Richardson, Sarah Grace Dalton, Elisa R. Torres, Carolyn M. Sampselle, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, David L. Ronis, Harold W. Neighbors

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives

Randomized trials found physical activity (PA) effective in decreasing depressive symptoms. Few studies included Black participants. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to determine the effects of PA on depressive symptoms in Black adults.

Methods

Articles were abstracted by conducting a computer and hand search of eligible studies.

Results

Eight of 13 studies found a significant inverse relationship between PA and depressive symptoms in Black adults. Sources for the heterogeneity were explored.

Conclusion

Future studies should include representative samples of Black adults, incorporate a theory which considers multiple levels of influence, account for genetic factors in the …

Factors Influencing Cancer Screening Practices Of Underserved Women, Kelly Ackerson, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: This integrated review was conducted to evaluate the factors that inhibit or promote decisions by African American and Hispanic women to obtain cervical cancer screening.

Data sources: Research articles were identified using MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health literature, published between 1999 and 2005.

Conclusions: Cervical cancer screening practices of African American and Hispanic women were influenced by extrinsic motivators including lack of insurance, no usual source of health care, acculturation, and socioeconomic factors. Intrinsic motivators were related to beliefs and perceptions of vulnerability, such as ignoring cervical cancer screening when no symptoms were present; …

Understanding Sexual Abstinence In African American Teens, Kristin Haglund

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: To explore the perspectives of teenage girls on how life contexts influenced sexuality and sexual abstinence.

Study Design and Methods: A qualitative descriptive study with a convenience sample of 14 sexually abstinent African American adolescent females who were interviewed to obtain their life histories. Narrative analysis was used to identify unique and common experiences and to develop themes.

Results: For these participants, being abstinent was a way to demonstrate their emerging identities as adult women. They described themselves as faithful, unique persons who defied negative stereotypes, avoided risky situations, wanted to be strong women like their …