Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Predictors And Missed Opportunities For Blood Glucose Screening Among African Americans: Implications For Church-Based Populations, Alexandria G. Bauer, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Carole Bowe Thompson, Kelsey Christensen

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately diagnosed with prediabetes, diabetes, and related complications. Guidelines for prediabetes/diabetes screening emphasize reaching at-risk adults. The AA church has potential to increase reach of BGS with AA church members and community members. The current study identified predictors of blood glucose screening (BGS) and individuals with missed opportunities for BGS among church-affiliated AA adults. Participants were drawn from a previous pilot study (Project Faith Influencing Transformation) conducted in six AA churches over eight months. Eligibility criteria included self-identifying as AA and being aged 18 or older. Participants who had previously been diagnosed with diabetes were excluded, …

Racial Disparities In Breast Cancer Survival: The Mediating Effects Of Macro-Social Context And Social Network Factors, Ganga Vijayasiri, Yamile Molina, Ifeanyi B. Chukwudozie, Silvia Tejeda, Heather Pauls, Garth Rauscher, Richard T. Campbell, Richard B. Warnecke

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

This study attempts to clarify the associations between macro-social and social network factors and continuing racial disparities in breast cancer survival. The study improves on prior methodologies by using a neighborhood disadvantage measure that assesses both economic and social disadvantage and an ego-network measurement tool that assesses key social network characteristics. Our population-based sample included 786 breast cancer patients (nHWhite=388; nHBlack=398) diagnosed during 2005-2008 in Chicago, IL. The data included census-derived macro-social context, self-reported social network, self-reported demographic and medically abstracted health measures. Mortality data from the National Death Index (NDI) were used to determine 5-year survival.

Based on …

Priority Hypertension Management Strategies For At-Risk African Americans As Perceived By Medical Clinicians And Academic Scholars, Shirley M. Timmons, Lu Shi, Amin Khademi

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African American adults, in the United States (US), bear the greatest burden of high blood pressure (HBP)--a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death. Current research does not adequately inform the design of multi-level interventions that work to control HBP in this at-risk population. The purpose of this study was to uncover information about priority strategies recommended for HBP control in African American adults. Research questions are 1) what are factors that reduce or manage HBP in at-risk African Americans and 2) what factors are important to the design and implementation of successful HBP interventions in at-risk African …

Identifying Corners Stores As The Future Of Healthy Food Access In African American Communities, Victor Romano, Jennifer Lee, Elliott Royal, Katherine Metzo, William Ruth, Theodore Hartsook

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

For many people, the corner store remains the main grocer, or the only source of sustenance in minority communities. This study examined the distribution of corner stores as a future reference point to provide healthy food access to predominantly African American communities that lack full service grocery stores. Business data was obtained from respective county by use of Standard Industrial Codes. Each corner store was then categorized by either being Full Service (Stores that sell fresh produce, fresh meat, fresh dairy, and processed foods) or Non-Full Service (stores that do not sell all four categories of foods included in the …

The Construct And Predictive Validity Of Psychosocial Correlates Of Television Viewing, Raheem Paxton, Pascal Jean-Pierre, Saehwan Park, Yong Gao Dr., Stephen Herrmann, G J. Norman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Many studies have examined the consequences of prolonged television viewing, but few studies have examined the psychological states that contribute to this behavior. In this study, we evaluated the construct and predictive validity of psychosocial correlates of television viewing in a population of African American (AA) breast cancer survivors (BCS).

Methods: AA BCS (N = 342, Mean age = 54 years) completed measures of decisional balance, self-efficacy, family support, and time spent watching television online. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the construct and predictive validity as well as the differential item functioning of the instruments …

Development And Implementation Of A Culturally Tailored, Community-Based Intervention To Raise Awareness Of Brain Health Among African Americans, Mary Ann K. Hall, Ashani Johnson-Turbes, Felicia T. Fuller, Petra Niles, Shileah Cantey-Mcdonald

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans bear a disproportionate burden of age-related cognitive impairment in the United States compared to Whites or Hispanics. African Americans experience greater prevalence, higher risk, and lower rates of treatment and diagnosis for dementia. In response to these health disparities the Alzheimer’s Association developed and implemented the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) demonstration project, the first community-level intervention to help reduce health disparities related to cognitive impairment among African Americans. The HBI promotes awareness of brain health, understanding of the heart-brain connection, and seeks to increase African American baby boomers engagement in health-protective behaviors to promote brain and overall health. …

To Test Or Not To Test: Barriers And Solutions To Testing African American College Students For Hiv At A Historically Black College/University, Naomi M. Hall-Byers, Jennifer Peterson, Malynnda Johnson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Young African Americans are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The purpose was to identify reasons that African American college students at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) identified as barriers to HIV testing, and how these barriers can be removed. Fifty-seven heterosexual-identified undergraduate students (ages 18-25) attending an HBCU in the southeastern US participated in the study. Latent content analytic techniques were used to code the transcripts for themes and categories, and representative quotations were used in the findings. Qualitative data indicates three main themes used to avoid testing and three themes to encourage testing. Students were forthcoming …

Housing, The Neighborhood Environment, And Physical Activity Among Older African Americans, Lonnie Hannon Iii, Patricia Sawyer, Richard M. Allman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

This study examines the association of neighborhood environment, as measured by housing factors, with physical activity among older African Americans. Context is provided on the effects of structural inequality as an inhibitor of health enhancing neighborhood environments. The study population included African Americans participating in the UAB Study of Aging (n=433). Participants demonstrated the ability to walk during a baseline in-home assessment. The strength and independence of housing factors were assessed using neighborhood walking for exercise as the outcome variable. Sociodemographic data, co-morbid medical conditions, and rural/urban residence were included as independent control factors. Homeownership, occupancy, and length of …