Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cut The Pressure: Blood Pressure Screening In A Community Based Setting, Harold Kareem Knight Jr., Katharine Milani

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study addresses the pressing issue of cardiovascular health disparities in African American males through community-based interventions, specifically blood pressure screenings and surveys conducted in a local barbershop setting. Despite a preference among participants for clinical settings, an overwhelming 97.7% expressed high comfort levels in the community-based environment, highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare delivery. With 92.5% indicating willingness to return for future screenings, the study underscores the efficacy of non-traditional settings in fostering healthcare engagement. Findings suggest the potential for broader impact through scalable, community-centric initiatives, offering promising avenues for improving health outcomes in underserved populations.

Self-Care And Psychosocial Factors That Predict Sickle Cell Disease-Related Outcomes Among African Americans In The Usa, Datonye Agina-Obu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing beliefs and conceptions regarding sickle cell disease (SCD) have had a significant impact on the appropriate management of the condition, including self-care and psychosocial factors, particularly among African Americans. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of self-care and psychosocial factors on SCD-related outcomes among African Americans in the United States. The study was grounded in the self-care management theory and employed a cross-sectional, quantitative design. Regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations between self-care and psychosocial factors and SCD-related outcomes sample of 180 individuals. The results indicated three factors showed significant relationships for sickle …

Nutrition And Physical Exercise Prevention Strategies To Reduce Obesity During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carmesha Vajill Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has reached an epidemic level of 75 million obese adults and 15 million obese children in the United States. The research problem addressed in this study is the lack of information on how obese people manage their weight-loss strategies to prevent or reduce obesity during shut-in place restrictions for the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study included the Prochaska and DiClemente Trans-Theoretical Model of Behavioral Change and the Stage of Change Theory. The phenomenon approach using phenomenology described participants' lived experiences of being obese. The researcher completed data collection and evaluation among sixteen participants using email questionnaires to analyze participant's responses …

Factors Associated With The Uptake Of Hiv Testing Among African American Male College Students, Brittney Sade Washington-Ball,Drph

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV testing rates are much lower among African American male college students than male college students of other racial groups. Routine HIV testing on college campuses can decrease HIV rates among African Americans and increase students' awareness of their HIV status. This study was an investigation of factors associated with HIV testing among a sample of 140 African American male college students. The health belief model guided the research study and served as the theoretical framework to examine the influence of factors such as the location of testing, STD status, number of sexual partners, insurance coverage, health information, and alcohol …

Barriers To Lung Cancer Screening Among African American Males Aged 50-70 In The United States, Edward Marines

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Objectives:

• Identify the different barriers to lung cancer screening among African American males
• Examine potential methods of increasing access and participation within this population

Understanding African Americans' Beliefs, Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding High Blood Pressure And Their Use Of Home Remedies As Treatment, Elisa Douglas

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

Understanding African Americans’ Beliefs, Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding High Blood Pressure and Their Use of Home Remedies as Treatment

Elisa E. Douglas

Seton Hall University, 2021

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Deborah DeLuca, J.D., MS

Background and Purpose of the Study: African Americans have the highest prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) in the United States but the lowest blood pressure (BP) control rates of any major race/ ethnic group. Only about 45% of those who use drugs to treat the condition have been able to attain BP control. Over 40% of African Americans are affected by HBP. African Americans …

Risk Factors Associated With Opioid Use Among African American Faith-Based Populations, Kelsey Christensen Ma, Jannette Berkley-Patton Phd, Alexandria Bauer Phd, Carole Bowe Thompson, Tacia Burgin

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans (AAs) in the Midwest are more likely to die from an opioid overdose compared to Whites, despite lower rates of use. Little is known about factors related to opioid use among AAs residing in the Midwest, particularly church-affiliated AAs. AAs have the highest rate of church attendance among all racial/ethnic groups, and the Black Church may be an appropriate setting for prevention efforts. The present study sought to better understand factors related to opioid use among Midwestern church-affiliated AAs to inform future faith-based interventions. This study examined predictors of opioid use (ever) using survey data from Taking It …

The Intersection Of Rural Residence And Minority Race/Ethnicity In Cancer Disparities In The United States, Whitney Zahnd, Cathryn Murphy, Marie Knoll, Gabriel A. Benavidez, Kelsey R. Day, Radhika Ranganathan, Parthenia Luke, Anja Zgodic, Kewei Shi, Melinda A. Merrell, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Heather M. Brandt, Jan Eberth

Faculty Publications

One in every twenty-five persons in America is a racial/ethnic minority who lives in a rural area. Our objective was to summarize how racism and, subsequently, the social determinants of health disproportionately affect rural racial/ethnic minority populations, provide a review of the cancer disparities experienced by rural racial/ethnic minority groups, and recommend policy, research, and intervention approaches to reduce these disparities. We found that rural Black and American Indian/Alaska Native populations experience greater poverty and lack of access to care, which expose them to greater risk of developing cancer and experiencing poorer cancer outcomes in treatment and ultimately survival. There …

Healthcare Access For Elderly African American Type 2 Diabetics On Medicare, William Alexander Floyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrior research has shown that African Americans have less access to healthcare than do White Americans. The study’s purpose was to determine the association between race/ethnicity and quality care measures in a population of Medicare recipients with Type 2 diabetes, aged 65 75 years and over. Covariates predicted satisfaction with doctor care, compassionate doctor care, and indifferent doctor care using Andersen’s health behavior theory. The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) sample consisted of 1,716 people with Type 2 diabetes, with most (76.6%) being non-Hispanic Whites, and the remainder non-Hispanic Blacks (10.8%) and Hispanics (12.6%). Race/ethnicity were associated with quality-of-care measures …

Internet Use, Perceived Social Support, And Obesity Among African American Young Adults, Cynthia Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans are disproportionately affected by obesity. Public health practitioners have an incomplete understanding of the social-environmental risk factors and how they affect obesity. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to explore whether internet use and perceived social support predicted obesity among African American young adults. The social cognitive theory guided this study. Secondary data were analyzed from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. The sample consisted of 6,765 African American young adults age 18 to 34 and represented the U.S. population using weighted estimates. A Bonferroni correction was performed to reduce Type I error due to …

A Novel Approach To Hiv Prevention: Understanding Multi-Level Influences On Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Uptake And Outreach Among African Americans., Suur Debrah Ayangeakaa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined and provided basis for addressing factors related to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) engagement, outreach, and uptake among high-risk African American youth groups in Louisville, KY. This qualitative dissertation study was designed through the lens of an interpretive framework of social constructivism which holds that multiple realities and interpretations exist and are socially constructed through the lived experiences of individuals and their interactions with others. Thus, lived experiences of various African American youth groups in Louisville as well as key informants of AIDS service organizations (ASOs) across the U.S. (including Louisville) were explored to develop a deeper understanding …

Medical Skepticism And Diabetes Management In African Americans, Pamela Bouyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in African Americans is a manageable disease, and self-management interventions reduce complications and hospital stays. However, in the African American population, traditional T2DM self-management interventions do not produce long-term effects on lifestyle and behavior changes. Researchers have analyzed the barriers and interventions associated with the disease, but the problem still exists. Medical skepticism may influence T2DM management and health outcomes in African Americans. However, there is scarce literature addressing the relationship between medical skepticism and health outcomes (eye and kidney problems). The purpose of the study is to assess the relationship between medical skepticism and outcomes …

Association Of Social Support And Depressive Symptoms Among African Americans, Jacketta Renee Cobbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression affects over 120 million individuals worldwide; in the United States, depression is a leading cause of disability for individuals’ ages 15-44 years. Social support can affect both physical and depressive symptoms; therefore, most patients with heart failure (HF) need support from family and/or friends to effectively manage their health condition. This indicates family and/or friends are expected to be the core support system for long term care of those with HF. The purpose of this study was to determine whether social support contributes to depressive symptoms among African Americans with HF. The research questions examined the experience of different …

"Courage 2 Test": An Evaluation Of A Social Media Marketing Campaign To Increase Hiv Testing Among Young Black Men, Jamal T. Jones, Laura F. Salazar, Richard A. Crosby

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a social media marketing (SMM) campaign designed to increase HIV testing among young Black men attending a public university in Atlanta, GA. “Courage 2 Test” was a three-month SMM campaign (launched from February 2017 to April 2017) that included targeted Facebook and Instagram advertisements to encourage HIV testing. Students completed an online survey via two cross-sectional samples (n=106 at baseline and n=98 post campaign). Campaign evaluation involved assessing the effects of campaign exposure and the pre/post-grouping variable on ever testing for HIV and testing for HIV in the previous six months via …

Factors Contributing To High Readmissions For Congestive Heart Failure Among African Americans, Shavonda Caprice Devereaux

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African Americans are disproportionately affected by heart failure, with prevention and treatment of heart failure being a public health concern in the United States. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative study was to examine the primary variable race, specifically African Americans, and how this variable relates to 30-day readmission post discharge when controlled with geographic location (urban vs. rural), gender, and insurance status. The expanded chronic care model was used as a framework to shape health promotion, prevention efforts, and social determinants of health and to enhance community involvement related to chronic disease issues. The research questions were focused …

Embracing Ujima: A Grounded Theory Of African Americans Choosing The Counseling Profession, Rashida Karriem Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic diverse populations experience discrimination in educational and career attainment and remain underrepresented in the counseling profession. The current literature provides limited guidance for the counseling profession and academic institutions for successfully recruiting racial and ethnic minority students in a master's level counselor training program. Social Constructivist theory and Adlerian/ Individual Psychology are the theoretical foundations of the study. This constructivist grounded theory study sought to understand the career decision-making process of African Americans choosing to enter in the counseling profession and the influence of racial and ethnic identity on this decision-making process. Utilizing semistructured interviews via video-conferencing; …

Risk Factors That Predict Asthma Among Adult, Foreign-Born African Americans In California, Alphajor Umaru Barrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine possible risk factors that predict asthma among adult, foreign-born African Americans in California. A total of 794 foreign-born African Americans (87 asthma cases) were included from the 2017-2018 California Health Interview Survey database. Data analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistical methods including chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression techniques. The socioeclogical model was used to help understand and interpret the findings. The dependent variable was asthma status and the independent variables were the risk factors (tobacco smoking, alcohol use, health insurance, income level, and education level). Confounders included in the …

The Influence Of Family History Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus On Positive Health Behavior Changes Among African Americans, Donny D. Ard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease that affects the body's ability to metabolize glucose effectively. The disease is predicted to be prevalent in over 300 million people by the year 2030. African Americans (AA) have the highest prevalence rates in the United States. Lifestyle modification and awareness of risk factors, including family history, are important aspects for prevention of developing T2DM. The purpose of this study was to understand if a family history of T2DM played an influential role in individuals making positive health behavior changes for T2DM prevention. The phenomenological study was grounded in the health belief …

Exploring The Mechanisms Of Racial Disparity In Infant Mortality: A Grounded Theory Approach, Barry Chukwugekwu Eneh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infant mortality (IM) is a critical health-disparity problem in the United States. Of the 23000 infants who die each year, the highest number occurs among African Americans. Previous studies implicated a mix of health determinants and risk factors, but no study has explored the mechanisms by which IM predictably persists among African Americans. This study uncovers the complex network of risk factors that underlies racial death disparities in infants. Two theoretical lenses chosen for this study were social systems theory (SST) and critical race theory (CRT). SST explains human behavior as an intersection of interrelated systems. CRT interrogates inherent social …

Association Of Social Support And Patient-Provider Communication And Medication Adherence, Laquasha Arenese Gaddis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of hypertension in African Americans is the highest of any population in the United States, and this population also demonstrates lower rates of adherence to mediation. Social support and patient-provider communication have been considered as reinforcing factors to help hypertensive patients achieve optimal blood pressure control. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of social support and patient-provider communication and medication adherence for hypertensive African American men and women. The study was guided by the theory of reasoned action. This study was conducted to determine whether social support and patient-provider communication was associated with medication …

Identifying Health Conditions, Priorities, And Relevant Multilevel Health Promotion Intervention Strategies In African American Churches: A Faith Community Health Needs Assessment., Jannette Berkley-Patton, Carole Bowe Thompson, Andrea Bradley-Ewing, Marcie Berman, Alexandria Bauer, Delwyn Catley, Kathy Goggin, Eric Williams, Cassandra Wainright, Therese Petty, Natasha Aduloju-Ajijola

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Stroke Risk Factor Knowledge, Attitude, Prevention Practices, And Stroke, Adaku Ngozika Madubuko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Regardless of the advances that have been made in stroke research and treatment and the overall decrease in stroke mortality, the stroke mortality rate for African Americans is still high at 45.2/100,000 and is still the leading cause of adult disability. Knowledge of the risk factors of stroke is paramount to reducing the morbidity and mortality of stroke, but knowledge of stroke risk factors has been found to be suboptimal in the African American population. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a relationship between the knowledge, perception, and sources of stroke information of risk factors …

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, …

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 …

Feasibility Of A Community-Based Sickle Cell Trait Testing And Counseling Program, Ashley Housten, Regina Abel, Terianne Lindsey, Allison King

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Sickle cell trait (SCT) screening is required at birth in the United States; however, adults rarely know their SCT status prior to having children.

Purpose: Assess feasibility of a community-based SCT education and testing intervention.

Methods: Participants were recruited from eight community sites to complete an educational program and offered a hemoglobin analysis. A genetic counselor met individually with participants to discuss lab results.

Results: Between July 14, 2010 and May 31, 2012, 637 participants completed the educational program. Five hundred seventy (89.5%) provided a blood sample, and 61 (10.9%) had SCT or other hemoglobinopathies. The genetic counselor met …

Blood Pressure Control For African American Parents And Children: Feasibility And Initial Outcomes Of A Faith-Based Intervention Pilot Study, Penny A. Ralston Ph.D., Tammye Farmer M.S., Iris Young-Clark Ph.D., Catherine Coccia Ph.D., R.D.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The overall purpose was to determine the feasibility and initial outcomes of a faith-based intervention to improve blood pressure (BP) control in African American (AA) parents/guardians and their children, using a pre/post without control group design. Sample included AA parents and children (n=17) from three churches in North Florida. Health behaviors (daily servings of fruits/vegetables [F/V], minutes of physical activity [PA]) and physical health (BMI, systolic BP and diastolic SB) were examined. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and correlations. Feasibility outcomes showed high attendance (91% children, 88% parents) and completion (100%) rates. F/V significantly increased at post-test …

Perceptions Of Renal Disease Risk Among African Americans: A Review Of The Literature, Casey L. Migliore, Julie Barroso, Allison Vorderstrasse

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

African Americans are disproportionately at risk for renal disease, especially those with type 2 diabetes (McDonough et al., 2011). Despite this disease disparity, the literature lacks research on renal disease awareness and risk perceptions among African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, a literature review guided by the Common Sense Model was conducted to review and synthesize the literature on African Americans’ awareness of renal disease and existing risk perceptions, capturing sociocultural factors in the African American community that could influence the development of those risk perceptions. The literature identified an overall lack of knowledge about renal disease risk factors, …

Social Support And Intimate Partnerships In African American Women With Breast Cancer, Tess Thompson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated social support in African American breast cancer patients in one Midwestern metropolitan area. The study includes a quantitative analysis of social support in 227 African American breast cancer patients participating in a quality of life study, as well as a qualitative component involving a subsample of 15 married participants. In the larger sample, growth curve models were used to assess factors contributing to initial levels of perceived social support and change in social support over time. Interviews with women in the qualitative study allowed an in-depth exploration of how breast cancer affected womens relationships with …