Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Is Sex With Older Male Partners Associated With Higher Sexual Risk Behavior Among Young Black Msm?, Nicholas Chamberlain, Leandro A. Mena, Angelica Geter, Richard A. Crosby

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Participants at a sexual health clinic completed a survey with questions regarding sexual risk behavior and partner characteristics. Of 585 participants eligible for analysis, 124 reported generally having older male partners. These participants were significantly more likely to be HIV-infected (p < 0.001), have four or more sex partners as a “bottom” (p = 0.04), have concurrent partners (p = 0.01), and have partners suspected of having an sexually transmitted infection (p = 0.05) than participants without older partners. With analysis restricted to HIV− individuals, risk behaviors did not differ significantly between the groups. HIV− individuals with older partners may be at increased risk of HIV infection due …

Analysis Of Hypertension Control Rates Among Participants In The Georgia Hypertension Management And Outreach Program, Sara Byers, Jean O'Connor, Kia Powell-Threets, Brittany Taylor, Kia Padgett, Melissa K. Hallow

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: This study utilized health department electronic medical records retrospectively to evaluate hypertension control rates achieved by the Georgia Hypertension Management and Outreach Program (HMOP), an education, screening, and treatment control program that provides services, including blood pressure screening and assessment, referral to physicians, counseling, educational material, disease case management, and treatment.

Methods: Hypertension control rates after at least 6 months of study participation were determined for patients participating in the program for at least 6 months between 2010 and 2014, and for African American and uninsured subgroups.

Results: The overall hypertension control rate was 61.1%, above the 2012 national …

Single-Trait And Multi-Trait Genome-Wide Association Analyses Identify Novel Loci For Blood Pressure In African-Ancestry Populations, Jingjing Liang, Thu H. Le, Digna R. Velez Edwards, Bamidele O. Tayo, Kyle J. Gaulton, Jennifer A. Smith, Yingchang Lu, Richard A. Jensen, Guanjie Chen, Lisa R. Yanek, Karen Schwander, Salman M. Tajuddin, Tamar Sofer, Wonji Kim, James Kayima, Colin A. Mckenzie, Ervin Fox, Michael A. Nalls, J. Hunter Young, Yan V. Sun, Jacqueline M. Lane, Sylvia Cechova, Jie Zhou, Hua Tang, Myriam Fornage, Solomon K. Musani, Heming Wang, Juyoung Lee, Adebowale Adeyemo, Albert W. Dreisbach, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Hypertension is a leading cause of global disease, mortality, and disability. While individuals of African descent suffer a disproportionate burden of hypertension and its complications, they have been underrepresented in genetic studies. To identify novel susceptibility loci for blood pressure and hypertension in people of African ancestry, we performed both single and multiple-trait genome-wide association analyses. We analyzed 21 genome-wide association studies comprised of 31,968 individuals of African ancestry, and validated our results with additional 54,395 individuals from multi-ethnic studies. These analyses identified nine loci with eleven independent variants which reached genome-wide significance (P < 1.25×10⁻⁸) for either systolic and …

Contextual Factors And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Young, Black Men, Jamal Jones, Laura F. Salazar, Richard A. Crosby

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Young Black men (YBM), aged 13 to 24 years, face a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI acquisition among YBM is due to incorrect and inconsistent condom use and is exacerbated by multiple sexual partners. Sexual and reproductive health is influenced by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social determinants that contribute to increased risk for STI acquisition. However, there are key social determinants of sexual health that play a major role in adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviors: gender norms, environment, peers, and families as well as a desire to impregnate a woman. Associations between contextual factors (risky …

Knowledge And Beliefs About Cancer In African American Population, Rabindra P. Gautam Dhs, Deven Shah Phd, Eric Matthews Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of one in four Americans each year (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2015). A total of 1,658,370 new cancer cases and 589,430 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the United States in 2015 (ACS, 2015). In 2013, approximately 176,630 new cancer cases and 64,880 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in African American communities. The majority of diagnoses were cancers of the prostate, lung, colon, rectum, breast, and colorectal region (ACS, 2013). For most cancers, African Americans have the highest death rate, …

Social Networks As Predictors Of Colorectal Cancer Screening In African Americans, Ernest Alema-Mensah, Selina A. Smith, Mechelle Claridy, Victor Ede, Benjamin Ansa, Daniel S. Blumenthal

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Early detection can reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality by 15%–33%, and screening is widely recommended for average-risk adults beginning at age 50 years. Colorectal cancer mortality rates are higher in African Americans than in whites, while screening rates are somewhat lower. Individual social networks can reduce emotional and/or logistical barriers to healthpromoting but distasteful procedures such as CRC screening. The aim of this study was to examine social network interactions, and their impact on CRC screening among African Americans. We hypothesized a positive association between social network index (SNI) scores and CRC screening.

Methods: In a community intervention trial …

Cpt1a Methylation Is Associated With Plasma Adiponectin, S. Aslibekyan, A. N. Do, H. Xu, S. Li, M. R. Irvin, D Zhi, H. K. Tiwari, D. M. Absher, A. R. Shuldiner, T. Zhang, W. Chen, K. Tanner, C. Hong, B. D. Mitchell, G. Berenson, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background and Aims—Adiponectin, an adipose-secreted protein that has been linked to insulin sensitivity, plasma lipids, and inflammatory patterns, is an established biomarker for metabolic health. Despite clinical relevance and high heritability, the determinants of plasma adiponectin levels remain poorly understood.

Methods and Results—We conducted the first epigenome-wide cross-sectional study of adiponectin levels using methylation data on 368,051 cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites in CD4+ T-cells from the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN, n= 991). We fit linear mixed models, adjusting for age, sex, study site, T-cell purity, and family. We have identified a positive association (regression …

The Role Of Functional, Social, And Mobility Dynamics In Facilitating Older African Americans Participation In Clinical Research, Eve T. Shapiro, Jay T. Schamel, Kimberly A. Parker, Laura A. Randall, Paula M. Frew

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: Older African Americans experience disproportionately higher incidence of morbidity and mortality related to chronic and infectious diseases, yet are significantly underrepresented in clinical research compared to other racial and ethnic groups. This study aimed to understand the extent to which social support, transportation access, and physical impediments function as barriers or facilitators to clinical trial recruitment of older African Americans. Methods: Participants (N=221) were recruited from six African American churches in Atlanta and surveyed on various influences on clinical trial participation.

A Community-Driven Intervention For Improving Biospecimen Donation In African American Communities, Kushal Patel, Wendelyn Inman, Jemal Gishe, Owen Johnson, Elizabeth Brown, Mohamed Kanu, Rosemary Theriot, Maureen Sanderson, Pamela Hull, Margaret Hargreaves

Public Health, Health Administration, and Health Sciences Faculty Research

Introduction

Human biospecimens are an invaluable resource for addressing cancers and other chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an educational intervention on biospecimen knowledge and attitudes.

Methods

The participants consisted of 112 African Americans, 18 years and older, and who had not provided biospecimens for any health-related research in the past. A total of 55 participants received the educational brochure, and 57 received the educational video. The main outcomes of the study were knowledge and attitudes for biospecimen donation. This information was collected pre- and post-intervention.

Results

The average knowledge scores increased ( …

Acceptability Of Hiv Testing Sites Among Rural And Urban African Americans Who Use Cocaine, D. Keith Branham, Tyrone F. Borders, Katharine E. Stewart, Geoffrey M. Curran, Brenda M. Booth

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

African Americans (AAs) who use cocaine in the Southern region of the U.S. have a relatively high risk of HIV and need for HIV testing. Among this group, those residing in rural areas may have less favorable opinions about common HIV testing sites, which could inhibit HIV testing. We examined rural/urban variations in their acceptability of multiple HIV testing sites (private physician clinic, local health department, community health center, community HIV fair, hospital emergency department, blood plasma donation center, drug abuse treatment facility, and mobile van or community outreach worker). Results from partial proportional odds and logistic regression analyses indicate …

Sociocultural Risk Factors For Elevated Perceived Stress Among African American Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper, Noella A. Dietz, Joseph C. Wilson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: African Americans experience unique stressors that may inhibit smoking cessation and enhance relapse rates. Few studies, however, have focused on risk factors for perceived stress among treatment seekers. Because African Americans are less likely to quit compared to the larger community, understanding factors associated with perceived stress among smokers has the potential to improve intervention outcomes. This study examined psychosocial and cultural correlates of stress in a sample of African American participants in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods: At baseline, participants reported demographic factors and completed assessments of smoking history, alcohol use, friend and household smoking, weight concerns, acculturation, …

Identifying Outcomes And Gaps Impacting Tobacco Control And Prevention In African American Communities, Leah M. Ranney, Hannah M. Baker, Delmonte Jefferson, Adam O. Goldstein

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Great racial disparities exist in smoking and related health outcomes in the United States. African American (AA) smokers start smoking later and smoke less than white smokers but are less likely to quit. In 2008, the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health funded the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network (NAATPN) to focus tobacco control leadership, expertise and promotion in the AA community. In 2012, NAATPN sought to determine significant outcomes of tobacco control efforts impacting Black and AA communities by conducting a qualitative document search and series of interviews with experts in the field. Thirteen identified outcomes were categorized …

Exposure To Hiv Prevention Messages On Social Media And Behavior Change Intent, Yoshika Shajuan Eason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans living in the Southeastern region of the United States disproportionately contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Facebook and other social media sites are becoming a way to deliver health-related messaging to targeted populations. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the association between selected demographic factors and impact of social media on intent to change sexual behaviors among 112 African Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 in the Southeastern United States who viewed STI/HIV prevention materials on Facebook within 1 year prior to the study. The theory of planned …

Perceptions Of Childhood Obesity Among African Americans In A Low-Income Community, Cotella Wilkes Wilkes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a prevalent chronic condition affecting millions of children and adolescents in the United States and is rising in record-breaking numbers among African Americans in low-income communities. Guided by the social cognitive theory, the purpose of this evidence-based project was to understand the impact of an educational intervention on parents' perceptions of childhood obesity risk factors, weight status, and prevention strategies in a rural South Carolina community. A convenience sample of parents who attended a church-based community health promotion service in a low-income area (n = 10), aged 28 to 54, completed The Childhood Obesity Perceptions survey before …