Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Church-Based Hypertension Education: An Alternative Solution To Hypertension Management In The African American Community, Nicole Tofi Rice

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Purpose: The objective of this evidence-based project is to explore a church-based hypertension education program as an alternative solution to providing hypertension education to the African American community. The desired goals of this project are: (a) to assess the current levels of adherence to antihypertensive therapy among members of a local African American church, using the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale, and (b) to conduct a literature review exploring policy options encouraging the implementation of a church-based hypertension education program.

Background: Despite medical advances aimed towards prevention and effective treatment, the African American community remains disproportionately affected …

Help-Seeking Behavior Of African American And Non-African American Victims Of Elderly Abuse, Tesfaye Yigletu Wosene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly abuse is a pervasive public health problem in the United States. Most abuse and neglect go unreported due to barriers including fear for safety, concerns about the consequences, culture, lack of knowledge about elder abuse, shame, and self-blame. However, there is limited research on how race and ethnicity impact help-seeking behaviors of the elderly. This cross-sectional quantitative study examined the difference in reporting and help-seeking behavior between African American and non-African American victims of elderly abuse. Applying the behavioral model of health services use, this study involved a secondary data analysis using the Nation Elderly Mistreatment Study Wave II …

Help-Seeking Behavior Of African American And Non-African American Victims Of Elderly Abuse, Tesfaye Yigletu Wosene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly abuse is a pervasive public health problem in the United States. Most abuse and neglect go unreported due to barriers including fear for safety, concerns about the consequences, culture, lack of knowledge about elder abuse, shame, and self-blame. However, there is limited research on how race and ethnicity impact help-seeking behaviors of the elderly. This cross-sectional quantitative study examined the difference in reporting and help-seeking behavior between African American and non-African American victims of elderly abuse. Applying the behavioral model of health services use, this study involved a secondary data analysis using the Nation Elderly Mistreatment Study Wave II …

Relationship Between Screentime And Depressive Symptoms And Associated Mediators For African American Adolescents In The United States, Brittney Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of adolescent depression in the United States is increasing as adolescents’ use of electronic screen devices increases. Some studies have found associations between screentime and adolescent depression, and other researchers have posited that screentime is not intrinsically harmful. High screentime in African American adolescents may place them at risk for worse depressive symptom outcomes, but the relationship between screentime and depressive symptoms for this population is unknown. The three research questions of this study addressed whether there is a relationship between screentime and depressive symptoms in African American adolescents, and whether sleep duration and the frequency of physical …

Relationship Between Screentime And Depressive Symptoms And Associated Mediators For African American Adolescents In The United States, Brittney Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of adolescent depression in the United States is increasing as adolescents’ use of electronic screen devices increases. Some studies have found associations between screentime and adolescent depression, and other researchers have posited that screentime is not intrinsically harmful. High screentime in African American adolescents may place them at risk for worse depressive symptom outcomes, but the relationship between screentime and depressive symptoms for this population is unknown. The three research questions of this study addressed whether there is a relationship between screentime and depressive symptoms in African American adolescents, and whether sleep duration and the frequency of physical …

Perceived Diabetes Susceptibility Among African American Female College Students, Khaliah India Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of death among African American women ages 20-44 years, and African American female college students are at high risk. Research shows that college students tend to underestimate their susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes, despite their existing risk factors. There is a gap in knowledge concerning African American female college students and their perception of diabetes susceptibility, despite their increased risk. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental, correlational study was to identify the factors associated with perceived personal susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes-related health behavior among African American female college …

Bullying, Participation In Violence, Suicidal Ideation, And Behavior Among African American Youth, Kierystan Lorquoyea Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescent, teens, and young adults. Suicidal ideation is a predictor of suicide attempts. Guided by the integrated motivational-volitional model and social cognitive theory, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey data were used to investigate whether traditional bullying, cyberbullying, and participation in physically violent behavior (independent variables) were associated with suicidal ideation and behavior (dependent variables) among African American high school aged youth controlling for age, gender, physical, and sexual abuse. It was found that experiencing traditional bullying increased suicidal ideation significantly, as there is an 82% increase in likelihood. There was also …

Associations Of Fast-Food Zoning Policy And Cardiovascular Disease In African American Communities, Starrlett Pena-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major public health concern, causing one in every four deaths in the United States. Despite availability of effective disease management, African Americans bear the burden of incidence and mortality as CVD prevails as the primary cause of disparities in life expectancy, stroke, and heart failure. This cross-sectional study investigated fast-food restaurant (FFR) availability and socioeconomic status (SES; income, occupation, and education) to predict CVD risk scores in African Americans residing in Jackson, Mississippi. The social construction of target populations theory was used to inform this study. Using hierarchical multiple linear regression, a secondary data analysis …

Evaluation Of A Clinic-Based Peer Navigation Program (Pnp) For African Americans Living With Hiv In South Carolina, Kimberly Butler Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Peer navigation programs have been identified as a potential motivator in care engagement and retention for patients living with HIV, although the data is inconsistent. HIV management requires important disease management considerations and innovative approaches for patient care. Medication advancements and technology have drastically improved care for most patients living with this chronic disease; yet African Americans contract, live with, and die because of HIV-related complications at disproportionately higher rates compared to their White peers.The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods outcome evaluation is to: (1) determine if peer navigation is a viable intervention to improve three key HIV care metrics: …

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 …

The Impact Of Midwifery On Infant And Maternal Outcomes Among Black Mothers, Joann Honoré

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, disparities are prevalent in maternal and fetal outcomes between Black and White mothers in the United States. Researchers have established that using a midwife versus other healthcare practitioners can elicit positive maternal and fetal outcomes for Black mothers. However, no within-race research has been conducted exploring midwifery as an insulating factor against these disparities. The purpose of this quantitative retrospective cohort study was to explore the impact of midwifery on infant and maternal outcomes compared to outcomes associated with other prenatal care models/caregivers among Black mothers in California using secondary data. The ecological model was used …

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 …

Exploring Ethnic And New Orleans Cultural Influences On Health Behaviors Of African American Women, Keneitra Brown-Mayfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States (U.S.), African American women suffer disproportionately due to obesity and chronic diseases. Many studies have examined the culture of African Americans and its influence on their health behaviors in order to gain knowledge to inform obesity and chronic disease prevention interventions. However, a geographical segment of the U.S. African American population shares a unique culture that had yet to be studied. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to understand the perceptions of overweight and obese African American women living in the Greater New Orleans region about their culture’s role in the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related …

Health Literacy And Health Beliefs With Adherence To Antihypertensive Medications In An Urban African American Cohort, Karen Ranae Dukes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans aged 40 to 65 are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension, and adherence to prescribed antihypertensive medication regimens is important in controlling their blood pressure levels. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between health literacy and sociodemographic and clinical factors with adherence to antihypertensive medications among African American adults. The theoretical framework for this study was the health belief model. A quantitative research design was used with participants recruited from churches with African American congregations in the city of Detroit. A convenience sampling method was used to obtain a sample of 79 …

Faith, Medication Adherence, And Cardiovascular Disease Among African American Churchgoers, Linett Lorain Brice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Getting African Americans to adhere to medical management strategies to reduce negative health outcomes of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors may be challenging. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine whether levels of faith in God's healing, when it comes to taking medications, was associated with medication adherence to hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMII) medications, and whether those factors were associated with prevalence of CVD and uncontrolled symptoms of CVD risk factors, namely hypertension and DMII. Social cognitive theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from surveys completed by 102 …

Obesity And Overweightness Among African-American Adolescent Population And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Emmanuel Anene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity and overweightness are a significant public health problem and a risk factor for many chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to find the associations between gender, race, physical activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among obese and overweight African American adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. An improved understanding of the health issues could help this population live a longer quality life and prevent serious health implications in adulthood. A quantitative approach with a sample size of 331 was used. The control variables were age and household income, the dependent variable was HRQOL, and the independent …

Association Between Mentoring Interventions And Drug Abuse Among African Americans Aged 10-24 Years, Anthonia Ifeyinwa Dunkwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug abuse represents a significant public health problem worldwide, with socioeconomic consequences shaped by a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena and serious social, physical, emotional problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between mentoring interventions and drug abuse among African American young people. The health belief model was the theoretical framework. The secondary data analysis was done using the data set from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The dependent variable was drug abuse, while the independent variable was mentoring interventions. The Chi-square analysis revealed an association between participation in school-based …

The Lived Experience Of Discharged And Readmitted African Americans With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease To A Safety-Net Hospital, Kiiyonna Jones

Dissertations

Background:Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a debilitating respiratory disease that negatively affects the quality of life of those affected and has been a major contributor to the continuous rise in healthcare cost in the Unites States (Guarascio, Ray, Finch, & Self, 2013; National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 2009; Shavelle, Paculdo, Kush, Mannino, & Straus, 2009; Scott, Smith, Sullivan, & Mahajan, 2001). In 2014, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identified COPD as an applicable condition to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, which penalizes healthcare organizations having readmissions higher than the national average. COPD is the second …

Cultural Factors Affecting African Americans Of Caribbean Descent With Type Ii Diabetes, Ruth Runette Aguy-Paulsaint

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type II diabetes is a significant problem in the United States that had affected almost 10% of the American population and over 13% of African Americans. Although culturally competent diabetes education and treatment programs have been significantly more successful, little is known about the cultural factors affecting type II diabetes in African Americans of Caribbean descent (AACD). The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the cultural factors relevant to the treatment and prevention of type II diabetes among AACD. The theoretical framework for the study consisted of cultural adaptation theory and the transtheoretical model. Data collection consisted …

Help-Seeking Experiences Of African American Men With Depression, Tiffany Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicated that depression is now the leading cause of disability globally. Depression and help-seeking experiences among African American men have not been adequately studied. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the help-seeking experiences of African American men with depression. The theoretical framework was Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Inclusion criteria were (a) African American men, (b) aged 18 through 65, (c) having a medical diagnosis of depression or symptoms of depression, (d) not currently in treatment, and English speaking. Six African American men with depression or depressive symptoms …

Pregnant African American Women Breastfeeding Intentions, Beliefs, Attitudes And Perspectives, Janelle S. Mcclain, Phd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breastfeeding is the best infant feeding source of nutrition for infants in their early stages of development. However, there is a fundamental gap in the number of African American women that initiate breastfeeding compared to White, Asian, and Hispanic mothers. Social cognitive theory was used to explore the breastfeeding intentions, beliefs, perceived barriers, and perceptions on breastfeeding through a basic qualitative research method. To capture the essence of the lived experiences of African American pregnant women, a purposeful sample of 13 African American pregnant women were invited to participate in the study. Two focus groups discussions pertaining to breastfeeding intentions …

Cultural Perspectives On African American Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior In Central Mississippi, Debra Suzette Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2015, Mississippi had the 3rd highest adolescent birth rate in the United States, high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and enduring racial disparities between African American and White teenagers. Few researchers have described the immediate cultural environment to determine how it may influence the sexual behaviors and attitudes of African American teens. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to describe the sociocultural environment of African American adolescents in Mississippi that influences their sexual behavior by exploring the knowledge, feelings, experiences and beliefs of African American adults. The social cognitive theory was used as a theoretical framework to …

Protective Factors Against Peer And Social Media Sex Messages: The Moderating Role Of Parental Influences On African American Emerging Adult Students' Sexual Behaviors, Jacqueline Eunice Haywood

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The most recent research on risky sexual behaviors is primarily based on adolescent, predominately White, or multiple race (e.g., African American and White) samples. There is a paucity of literature focused exclusively on African Americans, particularly African American emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Given the increased risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for college aged African Americans, it is important to understand factors that may decrease engaging in risky sexual behaviors that are specific to this group. The current study examined the roles of parental warmth and communication about sex as protective factors. Participants (n = …

Colorectal Cancer Fit Screening In The Hope Vi Population Of Jefferson County, Kentucky., Jeffrey D. Stone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using pre-post survey data collected from 209 randomly selected African American people from the population of former residents of Clarksdale and Sheppard Square public housing areas, this study explores the relationship between individual characteristics and colorectal cancer screening behavior, measured by the uptake of the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and by prior colorectal screening, while controlling for neighborhood factors and geographic proximity to healthcare facilities. This particular public housing population is of interest because of their relocation from the downtown area, where healthcare facilities are within walking distances, to other public housing units either in large apartment complexes or scattered …

Mammography Utilization In African American Women, April D. Kidd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Breast cancer presents differently among women causing breast cancer health disparities with women of color disproportionally shouldering later-stage screening, incidence, and treatment, and greater mortality. This study assessed 10 predictors and rates of recent and long-term mammography utilization for women 43-79 years of age to better understand differences among age strata and races. This was the first study to use both the calculated Gail Risk scores (calculates absolute breast cancer risk over time intervals) from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and a temporary homelessness variable in predicting mammography utilization using national-level data.

Theoretical Framework: A modified Behavioral …

Income, Education, Age, And Physical Activity Among Physically Disabled African American Women, Sherèè Johnson Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was designed to identify possible risk factors about physical activity in middle-aged disabled African American women (AAW) aged 45 to 64 years. Disabled middle-aged AAW has a disproportionate prevalence of obesity and chronic illness than nondisabled women. Most disabled middle-aged AAW leads a sedentary lifestyle, and they do not meet the recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Little is known about this group, and a social ecological model was used to explain PA patterns. Data were extracted from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 1,599) for women who responded yes to indicate that they needed specialized …

Teen Dating Violence: Co-Occurrence With Bullying Among African American Teens In South Florida, Rosemarie Hemmings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen dating violence and bullying are major public health concerns but are preventable. Both dating violence and bullying occur within similar social context and the prevalence of teen dating violence was highest for African American teens as reported on the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Social learning theory provides a foundation for understanding and changing behavior related to dating violence victimization and bully victimization. The research questions focused on relationships between bully and teen dating violence victimization when controlling for race/ethnicity, gender, substance abuse, age, and age of first sexual intercourse. Additionally, the potential mediating variable of spending time …

Factors Affecting Body Mass Index Levels In African American Women Living In North Carolina, Padmini Shanti Kirpalani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of obesity has doubled over the past 25 years in the United States, particularly in North Carolina. Obesity is influenced by biological, social, and environmental factors; its prevalence has been found to be higher among African American women and other racial ethnic minorities. Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this cross sectional study was to examine the relationship of the psycho-social, psycho-behavioral factors, and body mass index levels (BMI) in African American women living in North Carolina versus their Hispanic American and European American counterparts. A logistic regression model using secondary data from the Behavioral …

Experiences Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Among Parents Of African-American Youth, Sonya T. Strider

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most frequently diagnosed endocrine and metabolic conditions that occur during childhood. This research study utilized a phenomenological study design to examine how the lived experiences of 20 African American (AA) parents of children with T1DM recruited using social media affects their management and control of the disease among AA youth age 5-17 years old. The interview questions were outlined in categories that tested key constructs of the health belief model (HBM) to determine the perceived barriers, seriousness, and susceptibility to maintaining good glycemic control for their children. Data from each interview …

The Effect Of Dietary Fruits & Vegetable Consumption And Physical Activity On Obesity In African American Adolescent Females., Tanisha Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is epidemic among Black adolescent females, and adolescent obesity often leads to adult obesity. Previous research suggests that there may be an interaction between physical activity and dietary fruit and vegetable intake on body mass index (BMI) in obese adolescent females in general, but it was unclear whether the same pattern is evident in Black adolescent females, who, on average, tend to have low levels of physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. Bandura's social learning theory implies the possibility that adolescent females might model their behaviors on the behavior of others in their high school years, including physical …