Digital Commons Network^™

An Initiative To Improve Cultural Competence Among Gyn/Ob Providers, Lynn R. Mcdonald, Joshua L. Schwarz, Stephen J. Martin, Susan Brown Will, Shari M. Lawson, Tanesha Stokes, Shannon C. Riley, Katie Reynolds, Betty Chou

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Healthcare cultural competence is defined as a process of delivering care by meeting the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of diverse populations, and should be optimized at all organizational levels to reduce racial disparities and poor patient outcomes. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recognizes the importance of cultural competence and states that research should be conducted to identify and combat barriers that impede equitable care. In this prospective, pre- and post-intervention study design, we used the Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument (HPCCI) to measure five dimensions of cultural competence within the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics in …

Understanding Disparities In Clinical Trials For Native Hawaiian Men, Gabriela A. Layi, Kevin Cassel, Maile Taualii, Jeffrey L. Berenberg, Erin O. Bantum

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Understanding low rates of participation by minority populations in clinical trials is critical for reducing and eliminating disparities. We examined beliefs and attitudes of Native Hawaiian men related to illness and cancer to better understand their rates of participation in clinical trials. We conducted face-to-face interviews with Native Hawaiian key informants throughout the State of Hawai‘i using quota sampling methods to obtain a range of perspectives about attitudes towards health care seeking to provide insight into low clinical trials participation. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and independently coded by researchers. Thematic analysis guided the extraction of relevant data from the discussions. …

Can Community Gardens With Workshops Increase Gardening Behavior? A Navajo Wellness Collaboration, Kevin A. Lombard Phd, India J. Ornelas Phd, Desiree Deschenie, Felix Nez, Sonia Bishop, Katie Osterbauer Ms, Eileen Rillamas-Sun Phd, Shirley A.A. Beresford Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This paper seeks to evaluate the potential efficacy of a community gardening intervention on the Navajo Nation to increase gardening and healthy eating behaviors, which are potentially important in preventing obesity and related health conditions. Rates of obesity are high among American Indians, including those living on Navajo Nation land. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is part of healthy eating. However, availability and access to fresh fruits and vegetables are severely limited on the Navajo Nation, due to distance and cost. One way to increase both availability and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is through community gardening, yet …

Health Disparities And Covid-19 Pandemic: Increasing Clinical Research Participation Among African Americans, Kashica J. Webber-Ritchey, Abbi D. Lane-Cordova

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Health disparities in African Americans is a persistent issue. Higher rates and severity of the novel coronavirus-19 [COVID-19] among African Americans only widens health disparities. Effective COVID-19 treatment options are imperative, requiring representation of African Americans in clinical research. However, low participation and under-representation of African Americans is complex in nature. This article describes health disparities, the impact of COVID-19, and participation in clinical research among African Americans. We offer strategies for researchers to enhance the inclusion of African Americans. We also offer strategies in conducting clinical research during COVID-19.

A Community-Based Participatory Research Project To Increase The Understanding Of The Health Concerns Of African Immigrant Communities In Urban Missouri., Rhonda Belue, Covenant Elenwo, Clayton Adams, Adaobi Anakwe, Kelly Taylor, Sunita Manu, Sidee Conteh

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background

African immigrants and refugees experience unique mental and physical health care needs that may be a result of pre-migration history and the acculturation process. The purpose of this project was to collaborate with African immigrant and refugee communities to identify health needs of the communities and lay a foundation for future action.

Methods

Key-informant interviews with five West, East and Central African immigrant and refugee communities included community leaders (n=10) and listening sessions with larger groups of community members totaling approximately 150 participants to identify health care needs. Content analysis was employed to identify themes related to immigrant and …

Lessons From The Health Care Innovation Awards: Productively Engaging Vulnerable Populations To Address Social Determinants Of Health, Maysoun Freij, Megan Skillman, Caitlin Cross-Barnet, Rachel Friedman Singer, Christina Rotondo, Michelle Dougherty, Sarah Ruiz, Adil Moiduddin, Lynne Page Snyder

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: This paper examines productive interactions—a cornerstone of the Chronic Care Model—between health care providers and vulnerable populations with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities. Methods: We conducted qualitative analysis of 16 focus groups and 29 interviews with patients and/or caregivers and 195 interviews with program leadership and providers across 15 Health Care Innovation Awards that targeted vulnerable populations. We analyzed how awardees addressed health concerns and social determinants of health (SDOH), and identified key components of productive interactions. Results: Providers achieved productive interactions through four primary strategies: establishing trust and showing respect; solving problems; building accuracy in health …

An Opportunity To Partner With Community Organizations To Collect Data On Asian Americans, Victoria Wang, Karen Kim

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: There is a shortage of health data for Asian American (AA) populations. This shortfall may be improved through the involvement of AA-serving community-based organizations (CBOs).

Objectives: This study assesses the feasibility of and interest among CBOs in creating a AA community-based data registry.

Methods: Leaders of CBOs were interviewed to assess their current data collection framework and their attitudes towards a shared data registry.

Results: Qualitative analysis shows CBOs are active in data collection, find data to be instrumental to their mission, and are interested in contributing to a broader data registry.

Discussion: The inclusion …

Gender Disparity In Composition And Compensation Among Maryland Hospital Executives, Gilberto O. Lobaton, Majd Marrache Md, Varun Puvanesarajah Md, Dawn M. Laporte Md, Amit Jain Md, Shruti Aggarwal Md

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Senior executive positions in hospitals have traditionally been held by men, and do not reflect the gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural diversities of the communities they serve. Despite sex parity in medical school graduates, women remain underrepresented in hospital executive leadership positions. In this study, the authors examined differences in gender composition and compensation of Maryland hospital executives.

Methods: The authors examined 47 Maryland hospitals’ publicly available tax forms from 2013-2018. Data collected included hospital revenue and executive positions’ count, salary, and gender. Executive positions included President and/or Chief Executive Officer (P/CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Medical Officer …

Propelling Adolescents Toward Careers In Healthcare (Patch): A Medical Student Led Pipeline Program For High School Students Underrepresented In Medicine, Maggie Brownrigg, Sagar Patel Md, Kyle Roedersheimer Md, Melissa Wooten Md, Radhika Ghodasara Md, Banks Kooken Md, Iris Cheng Md

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Despite the growing diversity of the United States population, individuals from many racial and ethnic minority groups and low-income families continue to be underrepresented in the health professions. A diverse healthcare workforce would improve cultural competency and create a system better suited to address the vast health disparities in many disadvantaged communities, yet the current educational pipeline needs to expand opportunities to provide students traditionally underrepresented in medicine (UIM) a path to become a part of the healthcare field. The Propelling Adolescents Towards Careers in Healthcare (PATCH) program was founded to address this gap in the current health professions pipeline …