Parents as "Help Labor": Inner-City Teachers' Narratives of Parent Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christianakis, Mary

2011-01-01

This article examines teachers' perceptions of parent involvement through the narratives of 15 racially and linguistically diverse teachers who worked together at Jefferson Elementary, an inner-city school in Northern California composed mostly of African-American, Latino, and Asian students. One overarching research question framed the…

Factors influencing HIV-risk behaviors among HIV-positive urban African Americans.

PubMed

Plowden, Keith O; Fletcher, Audwin; Miller, J Lawrence

2005-01-01

Urban African Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV, the virus associated with AIDS. Although incidence and mortality appear to be decreasing in some populations, they continue to remain steady among inner-city African Americans. A major concern is the number of HIV-positive individuals who continue to practice high-risk behaviors. Understanding factors that increase risks is essential for the development and implementation of effective prevention initiatives. Following a constructionist epistemology, this study used ethnography to explore social and cultural factors that influence high-risk behaviors among inner-city HIV-positive African Americans. Leininger's culture care diversity and universality theory guided the study. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with HIV-positive African Americans in the community to explore social and cultural factors that increase HIV-risky behaviors. For this study, family/kinship, economic, and education factors played a significant role in risky behaviors. Reducing HIV disparity among African Americans is dependent on designing appropriate interventions that enhance protective factors. Clinicians providing care to HIV-positive individuals can play a key role in reducing transmission by recognizing and incorporating these factors when designing effective prevention interventions.

Reversing the standard direction: Science emerging from the lives of African American students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seiler, Gale

2001-11-01

Recognizing the persistent science achievement gap between inner-city African American students and students from mainstream, White society, this article suggests that the imposition of external standards on inner-city schools will do little to ameliorate this gap because such an approach fails to address the significance of the social and cultural lives of the students. Instead, it is suggested that the use of critical ethnographic research would enable educators to learn from the students how science education can change to meet their aims and interests. The article includes a report on how a science lunch group in an inner-city high school forged a community based on respect and caring and how this community afforded African American male teens the opportunity to participate in science in new ways.

School Day Eating Habits of Inner-City, African American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffie, Thomas E.; George, Richard J.

2009-01-01

School administrators and food providers need to better understand what factors drive young consumers' food choices in order to keep them as customers and avoid a potential backlash from parents, the community, and public policymakers. This article reports the findings of a study on African American adolescents and food, specifically, their…

Coping Strategies of Inner-City Adolescents: Response to Recent Personal Conflicts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Deborah; Marcon, Rebecca A.

Kidcope, a check list developed to assess the prevalence of coping strategies among children and adolescents, was used to assess the prevalence of 10 coping strategies and their relative efficacy in a sample of 77 inner-city African American eighth graders (54% female). Compared to the white adolescents who comprised the original Kidcope sample of…

Racialized geography, corporate activity, and health disparities: tobacco industry targeting of inner cities.

PubMed

Yerger, Valerie B; Przewoznik, Jennifer; Malone, Ruth E

2007-11-01

Industry has played a complex role in the rise of tobacco-related diseases in the United States. The tobacco industry's activities, including targeted marketing, are arguably among the most powerful corporate influences on health and health policy. We analyzed over 400 internal tobacco industry documents to explore how, during the past several decades, the industry targeted inner cities populated predominantly by low-income African American residents with highly concentrated menthol cigarette marketing. We study how major tobacco companies competed against one another in menthol wars fought within these urban cores. Little previous work has analyzed the way in which the inner city's complex geography of race, class, and place shaped the avenues used by tobacco corporations to increase tobacco use in low-income, predominantly African American urban cores in the 1970s-1990s. Our analysis shows how the industry's activities contributed to the racialized geography of today's tobacco-related health disparities.

Vocal Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in Inner-City African Americans: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Bradt, Joke; Norris, Marisol; Shim, Minjung; Gracely, Edward J; Gerrity, Patricia

2016-01-01

To date, research on music for pain management has focused primarily on listening to prerecorded music for acute pain. Research is needed on the impact of active music therapy interventions on chronic pain management. The aim of this mixed methods research study was to determine feasibility and estimates of effect of vocal music therapy for chronic pain management. Fifty-five inner-city adults, predominantly African Americans, with chronic pain were randomized to an 8-week vocal music therapy treatment group or waitlist control group. Consent and attrition rates, treatment compliance, and instrument appropriateness/burden were tracked. Physical functioning (pain interference and general activities), self-efficacy, emotional functioning, pain intensity, pain coping, and participant perception of change were measured at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Focus groups were conducted at the 12-week follow-up. The consent rate was 77%. The attrition rate was 27% at follow-up. We established acceptability of the intervention. Large effect sizes were obtained for self-efficacy at weeks 8 and 12; a moderate effect size was found for pain interference at week 8; no improvements were found for general activities and emotional functioning. Moderate effect sizes were obtained for pain intensity and small effect sizes for coping, albeit not statistically significant. Qualitative findings suggested that the treatment resulted in enhanced self-management, motivation, empowerment, a sense of belonging, and reduced isolation. This study suggests that vocal music therapy may be effective in building essential stepping-stones for effective chronic pain management, namely enhanced self-efficacy, motivation, empowerment, and social engagement. © the American Music Therapy Association 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Taking Boys out of the Hood: Exile as a Parenting Strategy for African American Male Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Joseph B., Jr.; Van Brakle, Mischelle; St. Vil, Christopher

2014-01-01

Research indicates that inner-city neighborhood effects are correlated with school dropout, substance abuse, crime, violence, homicide, HIV risk related behaviors, and incarceration for adolescent African American males. Parents of adolescent African American males face many challenges as they try to keep their children safe in high-risk…

Risk Factors for Nonelective Hospitalization in Frail and Older Adult, Inner-City Outpatients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damush, Teresa M.; Smith, David M.; Perkins, Anthony J.; Dexter, Paul R.; Smith, Faye

2004-01-01

Purpose: In our study, we sought to improve the accuracy of predicting the risk of hospitalization and to identify older, inner-city patients who could be targeted for preventive interventions. Design and Methods: Participants (56% were African American) in a randomized trial were from a primary care practice and included 1,041 patients living in…

Prevalence of colorectal neoplasia among young African Americans and Hispanic Americans

PubMed Central

Ashktorab, Hassan; Paydar, Mansour; Namin, Hassan Hassanzadeh; Sanderson, Andrew; Begum, Rehana; Brim, Hassan; Panchal, Heena; Lee, Edward; Kibreab, Angesom; Nouraie, Mehdi; Laiyemo, Adeyinka O.

2014-01-01

Background The disproportionately higher incidence of, and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) among African Americans (AA) led the American College of Gastroenterology to recommend screening starting at age 45 in 2005. Aim To determine the prevalence of colorectal neoplasia among 40–49 years old inner city African Americans (AA) and Hispanic Americans (HA). Methods We reviewed the medical records of 2435 inner city AA and HA who underwent colonoscopy regardless of indication and compared the prevalence of colorectal neoplasia between AA and HA patients. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results There were 2,163 AA and 272 HA. There were 57% women in both groups. A total of 158 (7%) AA and 9 (3%) HA (P = 0.014) underwent the procedures for CRC screening. When compared to HA, AA had higher prevalence of any polyp (35% versus 18%, OR = 2.53; 95% CI: 1.82–3.52). Overall, AA had higher prevalence of colorectal neoplasia (adenoma and cancer) when compared to HA (16% versus 10%; OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.10–2.56). Conclusion We observed a higher frequency of colorectal neoplasia among 40–49 year-old AA as compared to HA suggesting an increased susceptibility to CRC risk in this population. PMID:24193352

Characteristics of Health Educators Desired by Inner-City Health Clinic Patients: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, James; Sidani, Jaime

2007-01-01

A group (n = 170) of inner-city, predominantly African American, health clinic patients were asked to identify the characteristics they desired in a new clinic health educator. A plurality (44%) of the patients perceived a bachelor's degree would be a sufficient level of education. The vast majority of patients claimed the sex of the health…

The Impact of Oakland Freedom School's Summer Youth Program on the Psychosocial Development of African American Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bethea, Sharon L.

2012-01-01

The present investigation considers the program outcomes of one community youth project, Leadership Excellence Inc., Oakland Freedom Schools. Oakland Freedom Schools are culturally relevant 6-week summer Language Arts enrichment programs for primarily inner-city African American youth aged 5 to 14 years. In this study, 79 African American youth…

Factors That Influence Breastfeeding Initiation Among African American Women.

PubMed

Hinson, Tyonne D; Skinner, Asheley Cockrell; Lich, Kristen Hassmiller; Spatz, Diane L

2018-05-01

To examine cultural and socioenvironmental factors that affect breastfeeding initiation among African American women. Qualitative descriptive design and conventional content analysis. A large, inner-city, primary care center affiliated with a 500-bed children's hospital within a large, Northeastern U.S. city. Participants were 34 U.S.-born African American mothers of healthy term infants 0 to 3 months of age. Six focus groups were conducted using a 16-question, scripted interview guide. A number of complex factors that influenced breastfeeding initiation included certain cultural beliefs about sexuality, the influence of family and peer networks, information sources, intentions, and a variety of other barriers and facilitators. Our findings suggest that the decision to initiate breastfeeding is not solely determined by the woman within the African American community. Because this decision is contingent on multiple factors external to the woman, it is important to recognize the role that partners, grandmothers, communities, information sources, and health care providers/organizations play in women's decisions. Implementation of multilevel strategies is critical to increase breastfeeding initiation among African American mothers. Copyright © 2018 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Cooperative Learning To Improve the Academic Achievements of Inner-City Middle School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holliday, Dwight C.

Whether using cooperative learning can improve the academic achievement of inner city middle school students was studied in Gary, Indiana at a school with a population of 503 students. Two seventh-grade classes taught by 1 African American male teacher served as 1 treatment group of 20 at-risk students and one nontreatment group of 24 high…

Are Podcasts Effective at Educating African-American Men about Diabetes?

PubMed Central

Ross, Levi; Iwanenko, Walter; Schiffert, Judith; Sen, Arup

2013-01-01

Education is a critical component of the National Blueprint to eliminate racial disparities in diabetes. Research indicates that traditional methods of diabetes education has had limited effectiveness with minority populations and suggest that different educational approaches be explored. The purpose of the research was to explore the effectiveness of an emergent technology (podcast) for use in educating inner-city, African-American men about diabetes prevention. Thirty African-American men participated in self-administered, pretest-posttest surveys in August 2009. Surveys collected information on demographic characteristics, perceptions of diabetes and diabetes knowledge. Paired samples t-test was computed to evaluate pretest-posttest changes in overall knowledge. McNemar or binomial tests were computed to evaluate pretest-posttest knowledge changes on each of the 15 individual knowledge items. Diabetes knowledge scores for the sample increased from 8.27 at pretest to 10.47 at posttest (p = .001). Posttest knowledge scores increased for 77% of men, stayed the same for 13%, and decreased for 10%. Men who listened to the podcast correctly answered 40% more knowledge questions on their posttest assessments. Results from this exploratory study suggest that podcasts are useful for helping inner-city, African-American men recall diabetes prevention information. Additional research is recommended with larger randomly selected samples using more rigorous research designs. PMID:22516566

Are podcasts effective at educating African American men about diabetes?

PubMed

Johnson, Jarrett; Ross, Levi; Iwanenko, Walter; Schiffert, Judith; Sen, Arup

2012-09-01

Education is a critical component of the National Blueprint to eliminate racial disparities in diabetes. Research indicates that traditional methods of diabetes education has had limited effectiveness with minority populations and suggests that different educational approaches be explored. The purpose of the research was to explore the effectiveness of an emergent technology (podcast) for use in educating inner-city, African American men about diabetes prevention. Thirty African American men participated in self-administered, pretest-posttest surveys in August 2009. Surveys collected information on demographic characteristics, perceptions of diabetes, and diabetes knowledge. Paired samples t test was computed to evaluate pretest-posttest changes in overall knowledge. McNemar or binomial tests were computed to evaluate pretest-posttest knowledge changes on each of the 15 individual knowledge items. Diabetes knowledge scores for the sample increased from 8.27 at pretest to 10.47 at posttest (p = .001). Posttest knowledge scores increased for 77% of men, stayed the same for 13%, and decreased for 10%. Men who listened to the podcast correctly answered 40% more knowledge questions on their posttest assessments. Results from this exploratory study suggest that podcasts are useful for helping inner-city, African American men recall diabetes prevention information. Additional research is recommended with larger randomly selected samples using more rigorous research designs.

Timing of First Childbirth and Young Women's Postsecondary Education in an Inner-City Minority Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ou, Suh-Ruu; Reynolds, Arthur J.

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the relationships between the timing of women's first childbirth and their postsecondary education using an inner-city minority cohort. The study sample (695 females) was drawn from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), an ongoing investigation of a panel of low-income minority children (94% African American) born in…

A qualitative study of relationships among parenting strategies, social capital, the juvenile justice system, and mental health care for at-risk African American male youth.

PubMed

Richardson, Joseph B; Brakle, Mischelle Van

2011-10-01

For many poor, African American families living in the inner city, the juvenile justice system has become a de facto mental health service provider. In this article, longitudinal, ethnographic study methods were used to examine how resource-deprived, inner-city parents in a New York City community relied on the juvenile justice system to provide their African American male children with mental health care resources. The results of three case studies indicate that this strategy actually contributed to an escalation in delinquency among the youth.

African American Preschool Children's Physical Activity Levels in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; Reinhart-Lee, Tamara; Janisse, Heather; Brogan, Kathryn; Danford, Cynthia; Jen, K-L. C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels of urban inner city preschoolers while attending Head Start, the federally funded preschool program for children from low-income families. Participants were 158 African American children. Their physical activity during Head Start days was measured using programmed RT-3…

Race, Pain, and Beliefs Associated with Interest in Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Inner City Veterans.

PubMed

Goldstein, Jennifer N; Ibrahim, Said A; Frankel, Eitan S; Mao, Jun J

2015-08-01

To investigate the prevalence and determinants of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interest level among a racially diverse cohort of inner city veterans who receive primary care at the VA Medical Center. Cross-sectional survey study Philadelphia VA Medical Center Primary care patients (n = 258) METHODS: Interest in CAM was measured using a single item question. Patient treatment beliefs were assessed using validated instruments. We evaluated factors associated with patient interest in CAM using a multivariate logistic regression model. In this sample of 258 inner city primary care VA patients, interest in CAM was high 80% (n = 206). Interest in CAM was strongly associated with African American race [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.19, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.05-4.60, P = 0.037], higher levels of education (AOR 4.33, 95% CI 1.80-10.40, P = 0.001), presence of moderate to severe pain (AOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.02-4.78, P = 0.043), and expectations of benefit from CAM use (AOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.36, P = 0.004). CAM approaches have broad appeal within this inner city cohort of veterans, particularly among African Americans, those that experience pain and those that expect greater benefit from CAM. These findings may inform the development of patient-centered integrative pain management for veterans. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vocal Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in Inner City African Americans: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Bradt, Joke; Norris, Marisol; Shim, Minjung; Gracely, Edward J.; Gerrity, Patricia

2017-01-01

Background To date, research on music for pain management has focused primarily on listening to pre-recorded music for acute pain. Research is needed on the impact of active music therapy interventions on chronic pain management. Objective The aim of this mixed methods research study was to determine feasibility and estimates of effect of vocal music therapy for chronic pain management. Methods Fifty-five inner city adults, predominantly African-Americans, with chronic pain were randomized to an 8-week vocal music therapy treatment group or waitlist control group. Consent and attrition rates, treatment compliance, and instrument appropriateness/burden were tracked. Physical functioning (pain interference and general activities), self-efficacy, emotional functioning, pain intensity, pain coping, and participant perception of change were measured at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Focus groups were conducted at the 12-week follow-up. Results The consent rate was 77%. The attrition rate was 27% at follow-up. We established acceptability of the intervention. Large effect sizes were obtained for self-efficacy at weeks 8 and 12; a moderate effect size was found for pain interference at week 8; no improvements were found for general activities and emotional functioning. Moderate effect sizes were obtained for pain intensity and small effect sizes for coping, albeit not statistically significant. Qualitative findings suggested that the treatment resulted in enhanced self-management, motivation, empowerment, a sense of belonging, and reduced isolation. Conclusions This study suggests that vocal music therapy may be effective in building essential stepping stones for effective chronic pain management namely enhanced self-efficacy, motivation, empowerment, and social engagement. PMID:27090149

The concrete jungle: city stress and substance abuse among young adult African American men.

PubMed

Seth, Puja; Murray, Colleen C; Braxton, Nikia D; DiClemente, Ralph J

2013-04-01

Substance use is prevalent among African American men living in urban communities. The impact of substance use on the social, psychological, and physical health of African American men has important public health implications for families, communities, and society. Given the adverse consequences of alcohol and drug abuse within communities of color, this study evaluated the relationship between city stress, alcohol consumption, and drug use among African American men. Eighty heterosexual, African American men, 18 to 29 years old, completed psychosocial risk assessments that assessed substance use and city stress. Multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for age, indicated that participants reporting high levels of urban stress, relative to low levels of urban stress, were more likely to report a history of marijuana use (AOR = 5.19, p = .05), history of ecstasy and/or GHB use (AOR = 3.34, p = .04), having family/friends expressing strong concerns about their illicit drug use (AOR = 4.06, p = .02), and being unable to remember what happened the night before due to drinking (AOR = 4.98, p = .01). African American men living within the confines of a stressful urban environment are at increased risk for exposure to and utilization of illicit substances. Culturally competent public health interventions for substance use/abuse should address psychological factors, such as stress and neighborhood violence.

Urban Youth Public Education for the African American Community. Technical Assistance Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

The Urban Youth Public Education campaign was a Center for Substance Abuse Prevention initiative that embodied the concept of targeted programming in terms of cultural sensitivity and community participation. The Campaign, which began in 1990, targeted inner-city African American children, youth, and families in 14 initial sites. Other sites were…

The Effect of Participation in the Neighborhood Academic Program on the Autophotographic Self-Concepts of Inner-City Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Mark J.

2004-01-01

The current research investigates the effect of participation in the Neighborhood Academic Initiative Scholars Program (NAI) on the students' sense of self as viewed through autophotography. The NAI is designed to prepare inner-city middle school students, composed mainly of African-Americans and Hispanics, for entry into a four year university.…

Men Do Matter: Ethnographic Insights on the Socially Supportive Role of the African American Uncle in the Lives of Inner-City African American Male Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Joseph B., Jr.

2009-01-01

This article examines the role of the African American uncle as a vital yet overlooked form of social support and social capital in the lives of adolescent African American male sons living in single-female-headed households. Research rarely examines the affective roles and functions of men in Black families; moreover, poor urban Black male youth…

Pilot Survey of Young African American Males in Four Cities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris (Louis) and Associates, Inc., New York, NY.

A pilot survey was conducted to explore why some young African American men living in cities stay in high school and why others drop out. Between October 1993 and March 1994, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 360 young black men aged 17 to 22, randomly drawn from census tracts in New York (New York), Chicago (Illinois), Los Angeles…

Shooting for Excellence: African American and Youth Culture in New Century Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahiri, Jabari

Two African American teachers teach English in the same inner-city high school. One teacher is successful--her students read, interact, and strive for success. The other teacher's students are frequently disruptive or are asleep. This book probes deep into the causes of classroom success and failure, as well as other issues that affect American…

Environmental factors that impact the eating behaviors of low-income African American adolescents in Baltimore City.

PubMed

Christiansen, Karina M H; Qureshi, Farah; Schaible, Alex; Park, Sohyun; Gittelsohn, Joel

2013-01-01

To understand environmental factors influencing the food-related habits of low-income urban African American adolescents. Qualitative research was conducted between February and April, 2010, using in-depth interviews, focus groups, and direct observation. The study was conducted in low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods of Baltimore City. A total of 20 adolescents were interviewed in 18 in-depth interviews (n = 13) and 2 focus groups (n = 7). Participants were recruited from Baltimore City recreation centers and were eligible if they were African American and aged 10-16 years. The food-related habits of low-income, African American, urban adolescents and reported perceptions of their food environments. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes. Six thematic categories emerged and were organized into 4 environmental contexts: the neighborhood context (accessibility of food and safety of neighborhood), the school context (school food environment), the family context (family health history, role modeling, and monitoring) and the peer context (peer behaviors). Future efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic among low-income African American adolescents should address the social environment of the family; however, positive behavior change may not be sustainable without neighborhood or school food environment modifications. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poverty and Depressed Mood among Urban African-American Adolescents: A Family Stress Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammack, Phillip L.; Robinson, W. LaVome; Crawford, Isiaah; Li, Susan T.

2004-01-01

We examined the role of family stress as a mediator of the relationship between poverty and depressed mood among 1,704 low-income, inner-city African-American adolescents. Nearly half of participants (47%) reported clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. Being female, reporting higher levels of family stress, and scoring higher on a…

Drug use among inner-city African American women: the process of managing loss.

PubMed

Roberts, C A

1999-09-01

The grounded theory study described in this article investigated illicit drug use in the lives of 32 drug-using women living in two inner-city neighborhoods of a large metropolitan U.S. city. The underlying purpose was to describe the process of how life situations and events influenced the onset of drug use and changes in drug-using behaviors. Analysis of in-depth interviews revealed several themes. The basic social process, managing loss, was identified. Painful feelings of loss resulted from the separation of someone or something from the lives of participants and included death or desertion of a significant other, loss of child custody, and rejection by a significant other. Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse resulted in a loss of ability to give and receive love and trust in oneself or others. Losses resulted in an escalation of drug use. Findings have implications for interventions to assist women in dealing with drug use, violence in their lives, self-care, and parenting.

Our Children, Our Hope: Voices of African American Mothers Living with HIV and Rearing Uninfected Children.

PubMed

Muze, Ruth; Onsomu, Elijah O

2017-01-01

Parenting school-aged children while living with HIV has been associated with significant consequences for African American mothers. This article presents and discusses the results of a qualitative study that examined the parenting experiences of HIV-infected African American mothers rearing young children. A sample of 8 inner-city, African American mothers of uninfected preschool-aged children were interviewed individually. Interview guide questions explored day-to-day childcare activities from the mothers' perspective. Five themes emerged: role of mothering, doing it all, less time for self, fear, and hope. Findings can be used to guide the development of programs to support HIV-infected mothers rearing young children.

Past Year Intentional and Unintentional injury Among Teens Treated In An Inner City Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Rebecca M.; Walton, Maureen A.; Harrison, Stephanie Roahen; Resko, Stella M.; Stanley, Rachel; Zimmerman, Marc; Bingham, C. Raymond; Shope, Jean T.

2010-01-01

An inner-city Emergency Department (ED) visit provides an opportunity for contact with high-risk adolescents for promoting injury prevention. Objectives To identify the prevalence of injuries sustained over the past year by teens presenting to an inner city ED, and to identify factors associated with recent injury to inform future ED-based injury prevention initiatives. Methods Over one year, seven days a week, from 1:00–11:00 PM, patients ages 14–18 years presenting to the ED participated in a survey regarding past-year risk behaviors and injuries. Results Of the entire group of teens presenting to the ED (n=1128) who completed the survey (83.8% response rate), 46% were male, and 58% were African-American. Past-year injuries were reported by 768 (68.1%) of the teens; 475 (61.8%) reported an unintentional injury and 293 (38.1%) reported an intentional injury. One-third of all youth seeking care reported a past-year sports-related injury (34.5%) or an injury related to driving or riding in a car (12.3%), and 8.2% reported a gun-related injury. Logistic regression found binge drinking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.95) and illicit weapon carrying (AOR=2.31) predicted a past-year intentional injury. African American youth (AOR=0.56) and those receiving public assistance (AOR=0.73) were less likely to report past-year unintentional injuries. Conclusions Adolescents seeking care in an inner city ED, regardless of reason for seeking care, report an elevated prevalence of recent injury including violence. Future injury screening and prevention efforts should consider universal screening of all youth seeking ED care. PMID:20149570

Understanding the Heterogeneity of BPD Symptoms through Latent Class Analysis: Initial Results and Clinical Correlates among Inner-City Substance Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bornovalova, Marina A.; Levy, Roy; Gratz, Kim L.; Lejuez, C. W.

2010-01-01

The current study investigated the heterogeneity of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms in a sample of 382 inner-city, predominantly African American male substance users through the use of latent class analysis. A 4-class model was statistically preferred, with 1 class interpreted to be a baseline class, 1 class interpreted to be a…

Prevalence of colorectal neoplasia among young African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

PubMed

Ashktorab, Hassan; Paydar, Mansour; Namin, Hassan Hassanzadeh; Sanderson, Andrew; Begum, Rehana; Brim, Hassan; Panchal, Heena; Lee, Edward; Kibreab, Angesom; Nouraie, Mehdi; Laiyemo, Adeyinka O

2014-02-01

The disproportionately higher incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) among African Americans (AA) led the American College of Gastroenterology to recommend screening starting at age 45 in 2005. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of colorectal neoplasia among 40-49-year-old inner city AA and Hispanic Americans (HA). We reviewed the medical records of 2,435 inner city AA and HA who underwent colonoscopy regardless of indication and compared the prevalence of colorectal neoplasia between AA and HA patients. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). There were 2,163 AAs and 272 HA. There were 57 % women in both groups. A total of 158 (7 %) AA and 9 (3 %) HA (P = 0.014) underwent the procedures for CRC screening. When compared to HAs, AAs had higher prevalence of any polyp (35 vs. 18 %, OR = 2.53; 95 % CI 1.82-3.52). Overall, AA had higher prevalence of colorectal neoplasia (adenoma and cancer) when compared to HAs (16 vs. 10 %; OR = 1.68; 95 % CI 1.10-2.56). We observed a higher frequency of colorectal neoplasia among 40-49-year-old AAs as compared to HAs suggesting an increased susceptibility to CRC risk in this population.

Associations of Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence with Psychological Adjustment among Low SES, African American Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaslow, Nadine J.; Thompson, Martie P.

2008-01-01

Objective: This study assessed the unique and interactive effects of child maltreatment and mothers' physical intimate partner violence (IPV) status on low-SES African American children's psychological functioning. Methods: Mothers were recruited from a large, inner-city hospital, and those who met eligibility criteria were asked to complete a…

The role of close friends in African American adolescents' dating and sexual behavior.

PubMed

Harper, Gary W; Gannon, Christine; Watson, Susan G; Catania, Joseph A; Dolcini, M Margaret

2004-11-01

This study examined the role of close friends in the sexual lives of African American adolescents. Fifteen African American adolescents residing in an urban neighborhood participated in individual in-depth qualitative interviews. The findings suggest that close friends play a critical role in the dating and sexual behaviors of inner-city African American adolescents, as they appear to serve as socializing agents that impact how adolescents conceptualize and socially construct dating and sexual roles and behaviors. Close friends also play a significant role in acquiring new dating and sexual partners and in determining the course of dating and sexual relationships. Although females and males expressed similar expectations regarding sexual fidelity and condom use, they differed with regard to their method and process of talking with friends about dating and sex, their shared social constructions about dating and sexual roles and expectations, and their perceptions of the meaning of dating. We discuss the implications of the findings in terms of involving close friends in interventions focused on improving the sexual health of African American adolescents. Future directions for research with African American adolescents and sexuality are also discussed.

World City/Regional City: Latinos and African-Americans in Chicago and St. Louis. JSRI Working Paper No. 46.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villanueva, Margaret; Erdman, Brian; Howlett, Larry

This paper traces the effects of economic restructuring through comparative socioeconomic profiles of African American and Latinos in the Midwest, with a focus on Chicago and Kansas City. Globalization has been associated with deindustrialization, relocation of jobs to developing countries with cheaper labor, and expansion of the service sector. A…

A Social Marketing Intervention to Prevent Drowning Among Inner-City Youth.

PubMed

Glassman, Tavis J; Castor, Tom; Karmakar, Monita; Blavos, Alexis; Dagenhard, Paige; Domigan, Julianne; Sweeney, Erin; Diehr, Aaron; Kucharewski, Ruthie

2018-03-01

Water-related injuries and fatalities pose serious public health issues, especially to African American youth, a demographic group that drowns at disproportionately high rates. The purpose of this study was to determine if a social marketing intervention targeting the parents and guardians of inner-city youth (U.S. Midwest) could positively influence their perceptions concerning water safety. Researchers employed a quasi-experimental design using matched pairs to evaluate the intervention. Participants consisted of parents who enrolled their children in a six-session survival-swimming course. Guided by the Health Belief Model, the researchers disseminated six prevention messages using six different channels (brochure, e-mail, SMS text message, postcard, Facebook, and window cling). The findings from a two-way analysis of covariance revealed that treatment group participants' knowledge and perceptions of water-related threat all changed favorably. Additionally, all participants planned to reenroll their children in swim lessons. A social marketing campaign using the Health Belief Model improved inner-city parents' knowledge regarding water safety and enhanced their self-efficacy. This study provides practitioners with feasible strategies (prevention messages) to supplement swim lessons, with the ultimate goal of preventing drowning among at-risk youth.

Stereotype or reality: another look at alcohol and drug use among African American children.

PubMed Central

Bass, L E; Kane-Williams, E

1993-01-01

The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Division of Communications Programs launched its Urban Youth Public Education Campaign in late 1990 to target African American youth in 14 cities with prevention messages about alcohol and other drugs. During the market research phase of the campaign, the Center sought to determine the extent inner city African American children are impacted by alcohol and other drugs and how widespread the use of these substances is among younger children. Is it rampant and universal, as some press accounts have it, or are the images portrayed by the news media, by popular movies, and by other communication outlets fueling harmful stereotypes? The campaign's market research consisted of in-depth reviews of the literature, of personal communications, conference proceedings, grant and contract reports, monographs, newspaper and magazine articles, and of national survey results, and the analysis of findings from focus groups conducted with 143 African American children living in several urban environments. Although information and conclusions gleaned from the market research revealed a longstanding trend of comparatively lower rates of alcohol and drug use by African American youth, also disclosed was a need for an expanded framework to address the problems of substance abuse within the African American community. An expanded framework acknowledges the dimension of substance use and abuse but also addresses three other dimensions--involvement, exposure, and victimization--that unfold as having major significance for this population of youth who live in urban, high-risk environments. PMID:8210277

A Phenomenological Study to Engage African-American Youth Voice in Deliberations Regarding Their Response to Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, Donna M.

2013-01-01

To examine disparities in education, the researcher utilized a naturalistic approach to uncover how youth think, talk, and feel about their response to schooling. Findings are based on in-depth conversations with 12 inner city African-American kids enrolled in Urban, USA middle and high schools, rarely heard from in the scholarly literature.…

Family Violence and Associated Help-Seeking Behavior among Older African American Women

PubMed Central

Paranjape, Anuradha; Tucker, Alyce; Mckenzie-Mack, LaTasha; Thompson, Nancy; Kaslow, Nadine

2007-01-01

Objective Little is known about how older African American women define family violence (FV) and what FV survivors might expect from their healthcare providers. The purpose of this study was to understand how these women define FV, where they seek help for FV, and what barriers they face in these efforts. Methods We conducted 6 focus groups with 30 African American women over the age of 50, including some FV survivors, at a large, inner-city public hospital. Results Participants defined FV broadly, citing examples of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional and financial) and neglect. Spiritual sources were cited over physicians as being available to help FV survivors. Barriers to receiving assistance included negative encounters with physicians, lack of trust in the system and dearth of age-appropriate resources. Conclusions For older African American women, FV takes many forms of which many may not be obvious during the clinical encounter. Like younger FV survivors, they expect physicians to serve as a resource for FV. Practice implications Physicians caring for older African American women need to remember to ask them about FV, and when making referrals for abuse and neglect, consider offering referrals to pastoral care if appropriate. PMID:17644300

An Experimental Evaluation of a School-Based Emancipatory Intervention to Promote African American Well-Being and Youth Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Kelly M.; Sullivan, Cris M.; Bybee, Deborah

2006-01-01

This study experimentally examined the effect of a school-based emancipatory intervention on the psychological and behavioral well-being of African American adolescents. Sixty-five eighth graders in an inner-city, predominantly Black school were randomly assigned to either receive the experimental intervention or a regular Life Skills course (the…

The Impact of Self-Components on Attitudes toward Sex among African American Preadolescent Girls: The Moderating Role of Menarche.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Tiffany G.

2002-01-01

Identified factors that helped prevent attitudes tolerant of risky sexual behavior among inner-city, African American, preadolescent girls age 10-13 years. Survey data indicated that feminine gender role orientation, self-concept, and ethnic identity related to attitudes less tolerant of risky sexual behaviors. Masculine gender role orientation…

Inner-City African-American Women’s Adolescence as Stressful Life Events: Understanding Substance Abusing Behavior

PubMed Central

Small, La Fleur F.; Dunlap, Eloise

2013-01-01

Lula Beatty (2003:59) asks, “What makes a black woman, voluntarily take a substance into her body which alters her perceptions and feelings of well-being?” This research examines African American women’s substance abuse as a response to stressful life events grounded in adolescence, drawing in part on the cognitive-transactional approach and distal stressor model to discuss the effects of stressors on mental health and substance abusing behavior. Most respondents viewed their adolescent experiences and the associated stress as tribulations or lessons to be lived through, rather than a signal of needed change in their social, cultural, and ecological life circumstances. The effect of exposure to constant stressors early in the life course coupled with proximal stressors often resulted in negative active responses to stress (i.e. substance abuse) and continued stunted emotional growth. Thus, our findings indicate that the experience of African American women as adolescents contributes to understanding substance abuse amongst this population. These findings further help develop the cognitive-transactional model, while adding to the distal stressors and life process model as a way of considering gender, race, and structural forces. PMID:23843768

Regional variation in smoking among African Americans.

PubMed

King, G; Polednak, A P; Bendel, R

1999-08-01

The impact of geographic region and metropolitan residence on smoking prevalence among African Americans has not been adequately examined. This study analyzed 5 years of data from the National Health Interview Survey (1990-1994) on current smoking and regional variation among 16,738 African Americans. Results. Respondents in the West had the lowest unadjusted smoking prevalence rates and Midwest residents had the highest. Current smoking was lower among African Americans living in non-central cities than in central cities even after adjusting for several sociodemographic covariates. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that black women in the South were significantly less likely to be smokers compared with any other gender/region group. These findings suggest the significance of gender and regional factors such as the social history of migration, social stress and racism, exposure to tobacco advertisement, variations in cultural influences, community structures, and coping strategies in under standing African American smoking behavior. Copyright 1999 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.

Pathways to Adult Marijuana and Cocaine Use: A Prospective Study of African Americans from Age 6 to 42

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fothergill, Kate E.; Ensminger, Margaret E.; Green, Kerry M.; Robertson, Judith A.; Juon, Hee Soon

2009-01-01

This study examines pathways to adult marijuana and cocaine use in a cohort of African Americans from Woodlawn, an inner city community in Chicago. Assessments were conducted in first grade (age 6), adolescence (age 16), early adulthood (age 32), and in mid-adulthood (age 42). The "social adaptation life course" framework guided the…

An examination of eating behaviors, physical activity, and obesity in african american adolescents: gender, socioeconomic status, and residential status differences.

PubMed

Tate, Nutrena H; Dillaway, Heather E; Yarandi, Hossein N; Jones, Lenette M; Wilson, Feleta L

2015-01-01

African American adolescents experience higher rates of obesity and have an increased risk of obesity-related diseases than do White American adolescents. Despite culturally sensitive obesity preventive interventions, obesity rates are increasing within the African American adolescent population. Current obesity interventions do not usually address the heterogeneity (e.g., socioeconomic status [SES], gender, and residential status differences) within the African American adolescent community that can affect the efficacy of these interventions. To examine the gender, SES, and residential status differences related to obesity and weight behaviors in African American adolescents. A descriptive correlational study was conducted with 15- to 17-year-old African American adolescents (n = 145) from community clinics, youth organizations, churches, and social networks in metropolitan and inner-city Detroit. Data were collected through use of survey methods and analyzed with use of descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests, and multiple regression equations. Female adolescents consumed foods higher in fat and calories (t = -2.36, p = .019) and had more body fat (t = -9.37, p = .000) than did males. Adolescents of lower SES consumed food higher in fat and calories (t = -2.23, p = .027) and had higher body mass (t = -2.57, p = .011) than did adolescents of higher SES. Inner-city African American adolescents had higher levels of physical activity (t = -2.39, p = .018) and higher body mass (t = 2.24, p = .027) than did suburban African American adolescent counterparts. Gender, SES, and residential status were statistically significant predictors of eating behaviors, physical activity, body mass index, and body fat. The initial findings from the study will assist in better understanding the obesity epidemic that affects African American adolescents in disparate proportions. Further examination of the study variables is essential to serve as a basis for

Religion, kinship and health behaviors of African American women.

PubMed

Coe, Kathryn; Keller, Colleen; Walker, Jenelle R

2015-02-01

A positive relationship exists between functional health and religion. We present an empirical definition of religion and describe the key elements of religious behavior, building a model that can be used to explore the presumed relationship between religion and health. Semi-structured interactive interviews were conducted with 22 participants over a 6-month period. Head Start programs and churches located in the inner city of a large metropolitan area. Twenty-two African American women were aged from 21 to 45. We focus on social relationships and propose that prophet-created religions mimic kinship relationships and encourage kinship-like cooperation between members.

Liberating Schools: Education in the Inner City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boaz, David, Ed.

This volume offers the analysis and suggestions for reform of leading educational experts on the topic of education in the inner cities. An introduction provides an overview of the problems of American education and a proposed solution: educational choice. The 12 chapters are as follows: (1) "The Public School Monopoly: America's Berlin…

Exposure to Community Violence and Social Maladjustment Among Urban African American Youth

PubMed Central

Carey, Devin C.; Richards, Maryse H.

2014-01-01

Objective Because of the evidence that children living in inner city communities are chronically exposed to violence, the goal of the present study was to longitudinally explore the reciprocal and perpetuating relationship between exposure to violence and child social maladjustment. Method Participants were 268 African American students (M age = 11.65 years, 40% males and 60% females) from six inner city Chicago public schools in high crime neighborhoods. Data was collected longitudinally over three years on measures of demographic information, exposure to community violence, and social adjustment. It was hypothesized that high levels of exposure to community violence, would be related to higher reports of social maladjustment (both cross-sectionally and longitudinally) and these variables would interact transactionally, leading to a greater risk of exposure to violence. Results These hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and results revealed that exposure to community violence was not consistently linked to social maladjustment. Transactional results revealed that there are certain periods in development in which being more socially maladjusted may put a youth in risk for more exposure to violence. Conclusions Results of the present study have important implications for interventions for inner-city youth exposed to violence. PMID:25171169

Step-Up: Promoting Youth Mental Health and Development in Inner-City High Schools

PubMed Central

Pardo, Gisselle; Conover, Kelly; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary

2011-01-01

African American and Latino youth who reside in inner-city communities are at heightened risk for compromised mental health, as their neighborhoods are too often associated with serious stressors, including elevated rates of poverty, substance abuse, community violence, as well as scarce youth-supportive resources, and mental health care options. Many aspects of disadvantaged urban contexts have the potential to thwart successful youth development. Adolescents with elevated mental health needs may experience impaired judgment, poor problem-solving skills, and conflictual interpersonal relationships, resulting in unsafe sexual behavior and drug use. However, mental health services are frequently avoided by urban adolescents who could gain substantial benefit from care. Thus, the development of culturally sensitive, contextually relevant and effective services for urban, low-income African American and Latino adolescents is critical. Given the complexity of the mental health and social needs of urban youth, novel approaches to service delivery may need to consider individual (i.e., motivation to succeed in the future), family (i.e., adult support within and outside of the family), and community-level (i.e., work and school opportunities) clinical components. Step-Up, a high school-based mental health service delivery model has been developed to bolster key family, youth and school processes related to youth mental health and positive youth development. Step-Up (1) intervenes with urban minority adolescents across inner-city ecological domains; (2) addresses multiple levels (school, family and community) in order to target youth mental health difficulties; and (3) provides opportunities for increasing youth social problem-solving and life skills. Further, Step-Up integrates existing theory-driven, evidence-based interventions. This article describes Step-Up clinical goals, theoretical influences, as well as components and key features, and presents preliminary data on

Step-Up: Promoting Youth Mental Health and Development in Inner-City High Schools.

PubMed

Alicea, Stacey; Pardo, Gisselle; Conover, Kelly; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary

2012-06-01

African American and Latino youth who reside in inner-city communities are at heightened risk for compromised mental health, as their neighborhoods are too often associated with serious stressors, including elevated rates of poverty, substance abuse, community violence, as well as scarce youth-supportive resources, and mental health care options. Many aspects of disadvantaged urban contexts have the potential to thwart successful youth development. Adolescents with elevated mental health needs may experience impaired judgment, poor problem-solving skills, and conflictual interpersonal relationships, resulting in unsafe sexual behavior and drug use. However, mental health services are frequently avoided by urban adolescents who could gain substantial benefit from care. Thus, the development of culturally sensitive, contextually relevant and effective services for urban, low-income African American and Latino adolescents is critical. Given the complexity of the mental health and social needs of urban youth, novel approaches to service delivery may need to consider individual (i.e., motivation to succeed in the future), family (i.e., adult support within and outside of the family), and community-level (i.e., work and school opportunities) clinical components. Step-Up, a high school-based mental health service delivery model has been developed to bolster key family, youth and school processes related to youth mental health and positive youth development. Step-Up (1) intervenes with urban minority adolescents across inner-city ecological domains; (2) addresses multiple levels (school, family and community) in order to target youth mental health difficulties; and (3) provides opportunities for increasing youth social problem-solving and life skills. Further, Step-Up integrates existing theory-driven, evidence-based interventions. This article describes Step-Up clinical goals, theoretical influences, as well as components and key features, and presents preliminary data on

Dating Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention with African American Middle Schoolers: Does Group Gender Composition Impact Dating Violence Attitudes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Beverly M.; Weisz, Arlene N.; Jayasundara, Dheeshana S.

2012-01-01

A dating violence and sexual assault prevention program was presented to 396, predominately African American, middle schoolers in two inner city schools in the United States. In one school the program was offered with a same-gender group composition; in the other school, the same program was offered with mixed-gender group composition. A…

Mechanisms of Vowel Variation in African American English.

PubMed

Holt, Yolanda Feimster

2018-02-15

This research explored mechanisms of vowel variation in African American English by comparing 2 geographically distant groups of African American and White American English speakers for participation in the African American Shift and the Southern Vowel Shift. Thirty-two male (African American: n = 16, White American controls: n = 16) lifelong residents of cities in eastern and western North Carolina produced heed,hid,heyd,head,had,hod,hawed,whod,hood,hoed,hide,howed,hoyd, and heard 3 times each in random order. Formant frequency, duration, and acoustic analyses were completed for the vowels /i, ɪ, e, ɛ, æ, ɑ, ɔ, u, ʊ, o, aɪ, aʊ, oɪ, ɝ/ produced in the listed words. African American English speakers show vowel variation. In the west, the African American English speakers are participating in the Southern Vowel Shift and hod fronting of the African American Shift. In the east, neither the African American English speakers nor their White peers are participating in the Southern Vowel Shift. The African American English speakers show limited participation in the African American Shift. The results provide evidence of regional and socio-ethnic variation in African American English in North Carolina.

Endotoxin in inner-city homes: associations with wheeze and eczema in early childhood.

PubMed

Perzanowski, Matthew S; Miller, Rachel L; Thorne, Peter S; Barr, R Graham; Divjan, Adnan; Sheares, Beverley J; Garfinkel, Robin S; Perera, Frederica P; Goldstein, Inge F; Chew, Ginger L

2006-05-01

An inverse association between domestic exposure to endotoxin and atopy in childhood has been observed. The relevance of this aspect of the hygiene hypothesis to US inner-city communities that have disproportionately high asthma prevalence has not been determined. To measure endotoxin in the dust from inner-city homes, evaluate associations between endotoxin and housing/lifestyle characteristics, and determine whether endotoxin exposure predicted wheeze, allergic rhinitis, and eczema over the first 3 years of life. As part of an ongoing prospective birth cohort study, children of Dominican and African-American mothers living in New York City underwent repeated questionnaire measures. Dust samples collected from bedroom floors at age 12 or 36 months were assayed for endotoxin. Among the samples collected from 301 participants' homes, the geometric mean endotoxin concentration (95% CI) was 75.9 EU/mg (66-87), and load was 3892 EU/m2 (3351-4522). Lower endotoxin concentrations were associated with wet mop cleaning and certain neighborhoods. Endotoxin concentration correlated weakly with cockroach (Bla g 2: r = 0.22, P < .001) and mouse (mouse urinary protein: r = 0.28; P < .001) allergens in the dust. Children in homes with higher endotoxin concentration were less likely to have eczema at age 1 year (odds ratio, 0.70 [0.53-0.93]) and more likely to wheeze at age 2 years (odds ratio, 1.34 [1.01-1.78]). These associations were stronger among children with a maternal history of asthma. Endotoxin levels in this inner-city community are similar to those in nonfarm homes elsewhere. In this community, domestic endotoxin exposure was inversely associated with eczema at age 1 year, but positively associated with wheeze at age 2 years. Endotoxin exposure in the inner-city community may be related to wheeze in the early life; however, given the inverse association seen with eczema, the long-term development of allergic disease is still in question.

A Longitudinal Study of Depressive Symptoms and Marijuana Use in a Sample of Inner-City African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Repetto, Paula B.; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.

2008-01-01

The association between marijuana use and depressive symptoms was examined longitudinally in a sample of 622 African American youth, interviewed on six occasions, using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). We considered whether depressive symptoms predicted changes in marijuana use and vice versa from high school through the transition into young…

Project RICE (Responsive Inner City Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattai, P. Rudy

Project RICE (Responsive Inner City Education) prepared a cadre of 36 teachers drawn from majority and minority populations in 3 inner-city schools in Buffalo (New York) to complement mastery of subject matter with appropriate pedagogical styles. The project was designed to test the hypothesis that minority students in inner-city schools do not…

A Tale of Two Cities: Access to Care and Services Among African-American Transgender Women in Oakland and San Francisco

PubMed Central

Cruz, Taylor M.; Iwamoto, Mariko; Sakata, Maria

2015-01-01

Abstract Purpose: The San Francisco Bay Area attracts people from all over the country due to the perception of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) acceptance and affirmation. African-American transgender women are severely marginalized across society and as such have many unmet health and social service needs. This study sought to quantitatively assess unmet needs among African-American transgender women with a history of sex work by comparing residents of Oakland versus San Francisco. Methods: A total of 235 African-American transgender women were recruited from San Francisco (n=112) and Oakland (n=123) through community outreach and in collaboration with AIDS service organizations. Participants were surveyed regarding basic, health, and social needs and HIV risk behaviors. Pearson Chi-squared tests and a linear regression model examined associations between city of residence and unmet needs. Results: While participants from both cities reported unmet needs, Oakland participants had a greater number of unmet needs in receiving basic assistance, mental health treatment, and health care services. Oakland participants also reported less transgender community identification but higher social support from the family. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the enormity of African-American transgender women's needs within the Bay Area. Greater resources are needed for social service provision targeting this marginalized group of people, particularly in Oakland. PMID:26788672

Association between residential exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising and problem drinking among African American women in New York City.

PubMed

Kwate, Naa Oyo A; Meyer, Ilan H

2009-02-01

We evaluated the association between residential exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising and current problem drinking among 139 African American women aged 21 to 49 years in Central Harlem, New York City. We found that exposure to advertisements was positively related to problem drinking (13% greater odds), even after we controlled for a family history of alcohol problems and socioeconomic status. The results suggest that the density of alcohol advertisements in predominantly African American neighborhoods may add to problem drinking behavior of their residents.

Exposure to community violence and social maladjustment among urban African American youth.

PubMed

Carey, Devin C; Richards, Maryse H

2014-10-01

Because of the evidence that children living in inner city communities are chronically exposed to violence, the goal of the present study was to longitudinally explore the reciprocal and perpetuating relationship between exposure to violence and child social maladjustment. Participants were 268 African American students (M age = 11.65 years, 40% males and 60% females) from six inner city Chicago public schools in high crime neighborhoods. Data was collected longitudinally over three years on measures of demographic information, exposure to community violence, and social adjustment. It was hypothesized that high levels of exposure to community violence, would be related to higher reports of social maladjustment (both cross-sectionally and longitudinally) and these variables would interact transactionally, leading to a greater risk of exposure to violence. These hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and results revealed that exposure to community violence was not consistently linked to social maladjustment. Transactional results revealed that there are certain periods in development in which being more socially maladjusted may put a youth in risk for more exposure to violence. Results of the present study have important implications for interventions for inner-city youth exposed to violence. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association Between Residential Exposure to Outdoor Alcohol Advertising and Problem Drinking Among African American Women in New York City

PubMed Central

Meyer, Ilan H.

2009-01-01

We evaluated the association between residential exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising and current problem drinking among 139 African American women aged 21 to 49 years in Central Harlem, New York City. We found that exposure to advertisements was positively related to problem drinking (13% greater odds), even after we controlled for a family history of alcohol problems and socioeconomic status. The results suggest that the density of alcohol advertisements in predominantly African American neighborhoods may add to problem drinking behavior of their residents. PMID:19059857

Insulin resistance and self-perceived scholastic competence in inner-city, overweight and obese, African American children.

PubMed

Fyfe, Molly; Raman, Aarthi; Sharma, Sushma; Hudes, Mark L; Fleming, Sharon E

2011-01-10

scholastic competence is a predictor of future achievement, yet there is little research about health factors that influence the development of self-perceived scholastic competence (SPSC). This study examined the relationship of insulin resistance and body fatness with SPSC in low-income, overweight and obese, African American children. data were analyzed from a convenience sample of 9-10years old African American children (89 boys and 113 girls) enrolled in a type 2 diabetes prevention study. Health variables analyzed for their influence on SPSC (Harter scale) included insulin resistance (Homeostatic model-derived insulin sensitivity, HOMA-IR) and body fatness (% body fat). Adjustments were made for self-esteem (Global Self Worth). there was a significant gender by insulin resistance interaction effect on the child's SPSC, so separate regression models were developed for each gender. In boys, neither insulin resistance nor body fatness was related to SPSC. In girls, however, insulin resistance was negatively related to SPSC scores, and the significance of the relationship increased further after adjusting for body fatness. Body fatness alone was not significantly related to SPSC in girls, but after adjusting for insulin resistance, body fatness was positively related to SPSC. Thus, insulin resistance and body fatness mutually suppressed SPSC in girls. high SPSC was associated with lower insulin resistance and, with insulin resistance held constant, with higher body fatness in girls but not in boys. These relationships were not influenced by self-esteem in these children. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Summer camp and self-esteem of school-age inner-city children.

PubMed

Readdick, Christine A; Schaller, G Robert

2005-08-01

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that a session of summer camp would increase the self-esteem of economically disadvantaged, school-age children from New York's inner-city neighborhoods. This study was conducted at a small, coeducational residential summer camp in the Pocono Mountains designed for children ages 6-12 years from low-income areas of New York City. During each of four 12-day sessions, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale was administered as a pretest and posttest to a sample of 68 children (36 boys and 32 girls; 33 African American, 34 Hispanic, and 1 Asian) of 742 attending camp for the sumnmer. Children scored significantly higher on the measure of self-esteem at the end of camp than at the beginning. Positive descriptions and ratings of self on popularity increased significantly. Observations and interviews with children suggested physical and social environmental features, such as contact with nature and having the same counselor as a previous year, may support self-esteem. Findings are discussed within a framework for biophilia, an innate urge to affiliate with nature which unfolds from earliest childhood on.

Impact of a two-city community cancer prevention intervention on African Americans.

PubMed Central

Blumenthal, Daniel S.; Fort, Jane G.; Ahmed, Nasar U.; Semenya, Kofi A.; Schreiber, George B.; Perry, Shelley; Guillory, Joyce

2005-01-01

We report the first multisite, multicomponent community intervention trial to focus on cancer prevention in African Americans. The project explored the potential of historically black medical schools to deliver health information to their local communities and used a community-based participatory research approach. The intervention consisted of culturally sensitive messages at appropriate educational levels delivered over an 18-month period and tested in predominantly black census tracts in Nashville, TN and Atlanta, GA. Chattanooga, TN and Decatur, GA served as comparison cities. Results were evaluated by pre- and postintervention random-digit dial telephone surveys. The intervention cities showed an increase in reported contact with or knowledge of the project. There was little or no effect on knowledge or attitudes in the intervention cities. Compared to Chattanooga, Nashville showed an increase in percentage of women receiving Pap smears. Compared to Decatur, Atlanta showed an increase in percentage of age-appropriate populations receiving digital rectal exams, colorectal cancer screenings and mammograms. The results of this community intervention trial demonstrated modest success and are encouraging for future efforts of longer duration. PMID:16334495

Formative research for a healthy diet intervention among inner-city adolescents: the importance of family, school and neighborhood environment.

PubMed

Dodson, Jennifer L; Hsiao, Ya-Chun; Kasat-Shors, Madhuri; Murray, Laura; Nguyen, Nga Kim; Richards, Adam K; Gittelsohn, Joel

2009-01-01

To understand influences on diet among low-income African-American adolescents in East Baltimore. Formative research was conducted for a food store-centered healthy diet intervention targeted to inner-city youth. Family, school and neighborhood influences on eating habits and health concepts were explored. Family structure, economic resources and past experiences influence what food means to adolescents. Healthy food in school and local stores is limited. Terminology to categorize foods was identified, including the term "home foods". Suggested adolescent nutritional interventions include promotion of home-based eating, improving availability of healthy foods in school and neighborhood stores, and targeted educational materials.

Research Resources for the Study of African-American and Jewish Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gubert, Betty Kaplan

1994-01-01

Discusses New York City library resources for the study of African American and Jewish American relations. Highlights include library collections, access to materials, audio and visual materials, international newspapers, clippings, archives, children's books, and acquisitions. A list of the major libraries for the study of African American and…

Inner-City Networking: Models and Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparrow, Judith; Vedantham, Anu

1995-01-01

Explores possibilities of inner-city networking, and provides a description of the federal government's Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP). The authors also enumerate the challenges faced by inner-city communities establishing such networks and describes TIIAP-funded programs meeting those challenges that…

Cord blood lead level in an urban inner-city hospital.

PubMed

Chawla, S; Elbakoush, F; Natarajan, G; Dwaihy, M; Berry, A; Ravindranath, Y; Bhambhani, K; Narayan, S B

2016-09-16

Lead levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in umbilical cord blood samples of 150 neonates in an urban inner-city hospital. The mean (SD) gestation and birth weight of our cohort were 38.8 (1.7) weeks and 3,217 (519) grams. There were 89% African-Americans, 53% males and 79% were born via vaginal delivery. Mean (SD) maternal age was 24.5 (5.8) years. History of drug abuse and smoking was reported in 8.7% and 10.7% respectively, with only 1 mother reporting a history of high lead level in childhood. Prenatal vitamin intake was reported in 99.3%. Cord blood lead level was available in 144 patients, with lead level of <1μg/dL seen in 141 (97.9%) and>1 in 3 (2.1%) patients. No patient had cord blood lead level of >2μg/dL. High lead levels during childhood in high-risk urban population, however, suggest the need for intensive efforts for prevention of environmental exposure to lead in early childhood.

Neighborhood poverty, urban residence, race/ethnicity, and asthma: Rethinking the inner-city asthma epidemic.

PubMed

Keet, Corinne A; McCormack, Meredith C; Pollack, Craig E; Peng, Roger D; McGowan, Emily; Matsui, Elizabeth C

2015-03-01

Although it is thought that inner-city areas have a high burden of asthma, the prevalence of asthma in inner cities across the United States is not known. We sought to estimate the prevalence of current asthma in US children living in inner-city and non-inner-city areas and to examine whether urban residence, poverty, or race/ethnicity are the main drivers of asthma disparities. The National Health Interview Survey 2009-2011 was linked by census tract to data from the US Census and the National Center for Health Statistics. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex; age; race/ethnicity; residence in an urban, suburban, medium metro, or small metro/rural area; poverty; and birth outside the United States, with current asthma and asthma morbidity as outcome variables. Inner-city areas were defined as urban areas with 20% or more of households at below the poverty line. We included 23,065 children living in 5,853 census tracts. The prevalence of current asthma was 12.9% in inner-city and 10.6% in non-inner-city areas, but this difference was not significant after adjusting for race/ethnicity, region, age, and sex. In fully adjusted models black race, Puerto Rican ethnicity, and lower household income but not residence in poor or urban areas were independent risk factors for current asthma. Household poverty increased the risk of asthma among non-Hispanics and Puerto Ricans but not among other Hispanics. Associations with asthma morbidity were very similar to those with prevalent asthma. Although the prevalence of asthma is high in some inner-city areas, this is largely explained by demographic factors and not by living in an urban neighborhood. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of 2 Prevention Programs on High-Risk Behaviors Among African American Youth

PubMed Central

Flay, Brian R.; Graumlich, Sally; Segawa, Eisuke; Burns, James L.; Holliday, Michelle Y.

2008-01-01

Objective To test the efficacy of 2 programs designed to reduce high-risk behaviors among inner-city African American youth. Design Cluster randomized trial. Setting Twelve metropolitan Chicago, Ill, schools and the communities they serve, 1994 through 1998. Participants Students in grades 5 through 8 and their parents and teachers. Interventions The social development curriculum (SDC) consisted of 16 to 21 lessons per year focusing on social competence skills necessary to manage situations in which high-risk behaviors occur. The school/community intervention (SCI) consisted of SDC and school-wide climate and parent and community components. The control group received an attention-placebo health enhancement curriculum (HEC) of equal intensity to the SDC focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and general health care. Main Outcome Measures Student self-reports of violence, provocative behavior, school delinquency, substance use, and sexual behaviors (intercourse and condom use). Results For boys, the SDC and SCI significantly reduced the rate of increase in violent behavior (by 35% and 47% compared with HEC, respectively), provoking behavior (41% and 59%), school delinquency (31% and 66%), drug use (32% and 34%), and recent sexual intercourse (44% and 65%), and improved the rate of increase in condom use (95% and 165%). The SCI was significantly more effective than the SDC for a combined behavioral measure (79% improvement vs 51%). There were no significant effects for girls. Conclusions Theoretically derived social-emotional programs that are culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, and offered in multiple grades can reduce multiple risk behaviors for inner-city African American boys in grades 5 through 8. The lack of effects for girls deserves further research. PMID:15066879

Changes in HIV-related hospitalizations during the HAART era in an inner-city hospital.

PubMed

Pulvirenti, Joseph; Muppidi, Uma; Glowacki, Robert; Cristofano, Michael; Baker, Laurie

2007-08-01

We evaluated admissions of HIV-positive persons to an inner-city hospital from 2000 to 2005. There was a decline in the number of substance abusers, homeless persons, injection drug abusers, and African Americans, and there was an increase in patients older than 50 years. There were no significant changes in CD4 counts or in utilization of highly active antiretroviral therapy,m but there were more admissions of persons with HIV RNA levels less than 1000 copies/mL, internal medicine problems, cancers, and skin infections. Changes in the demographics of this patient population may reflect external factors (eg, gentrification of low-income housing areas, opening of a new hospital). Lower viral loads suggest better response in those on a highly active antiretroviral regimen, and changes in diagnoses leading to hospitalization may reflect the aging of the HIV population.

African American Women's Perceptions on Access to Food and Water in Flint, Michigan.

PubMed

Mayfield, Kellie E; Carolan, Marsha; Weatherspoon, Lorraine; Chung, Kimberly R; Hoerr, Sharon M

2017-06-01

To explore the perceptions of food access by African American women in Flint, MI. Using womanist theory, in which African American women's experiential knowledge centered the analysis, 8 focus groups were conducted during fall/spring, 2014-2015. Seventeen mothers aged 21-50 years with children aged <18 years and 13 women aged >60 years comprised the groups. The high cost of water, poor availability of healthy foods in inner-city stores, and limited transportation were barriers to accessing healthy food. Conversely, receiving food from food giveaways, friends, and family, as well as access to transportation facilitated food access. These women also reported discriminatory experiences and diet-related health concerns. Participants were keenly aware of available free community resources and gender, racial, and income barriers to accessing them. Understanding these barriers and facilitators provides information to aid local food policy assistance decisions and inform community-based interventions, especially given the lead contamination of water and the purported importance of a healthy diet to sequester lead. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Health Issues in Inner City Populations.

PubMed

Nayyar, Dhruv; Hwang, Stephen W

2015-09-01

Inner city populations in high-income countries carry a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease. Although low individual socioeconomic status has long been associated with higher morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, there is a growing body of evidence that area-level socioeconomic status may also have a major effect on cardiovascular outcomes. A lack of supermarkets, limited green space, and high rates of violent crime in inner city neighbourhoods result in poor dietary intake and low rates of physical activity among residents. The physical and social environments of inner city neighbourhoods may also contribute to high rates of comorbid mental illness in disadvantaged urban populations. Mental illness may lead to the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors through its impact on health behaviours, effects of psychiatric medications, and sequelae of substance abuse. Individuals residing in disadvantaged neighbourhoods experience reduced access to both primary preventive and acute in-hospital cardiovascular care. This may be driven by financial disincentives for caring for patients with low socioeconomic status, as well as system capacity issues in the inner city, and patient-level differences in health-seeking behaviours. Small-scale studies of interventions to improve individual-level health behaviours and access to care in the inner city have demonstrated some success in improving cardiovascular outcomes through the use of mobile clinics, health coaching, and case management approaches. There is a need for further research into community-wide interventions to improve the cardiovascular health of inner city populations. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE AGONY OF THE INNER CITY, WHAT CAN CONTINUING EDUCATION DO.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DRAZEK, STANLEY J.

THE REPORT OF A PANEL PROGRAM BY THE COUNCIL ON EXTENSION AT THE EIGHTY-FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UNIVERSITIES AND LAND-GRANT COLLEGES IN NOVEMBER, 1967, FEATURED URBAN AND UNIVERSITY LEADERS REPRESENTING DETROIT, MILWAUKEE, NEWARK, AND WATTS. THE FIRST ADDRESS COMPARED THE PLIGHT OF AMERICAN INNER CITY NEGRO…

Characterization of Stress in Low-Income, Inner-City Mothers of Children with Poorly Controlled Asthma.

PubMed

Bellin, Melissa H; Collins, Kathryn S; Osteen, Philip; Kub, Joan; Bollinger, Mary Elizabeth; Newsome, Angelica; Lewis-Land, Cassie; Butz, Arlene M

2017-12-01

The goal of this longitudinal analysis was to characterize factors associated with the experience of life stress in low-income, inner-city mothers of minority children with high-risk asthma.Participants (n = 276) reported on family demographics, child asthma control and healthcare utilization, social support, contemporary life difficulties (housing, finances, violence exposure) measured by the validated Crisis in Family Systems scale, and daily stress. Latent growth curve modeling examined predictors of life stress across 12 months as a function of home and community difficulties, asthma-specific factors, and social support. Mothers were primarily single (73%), unemployed (55%), and living in extreme poverty with most (73%) reporting an annual family income <$20,000 (73%). The children were young (mean age = 5.59, SD = 2.17), African-American (96%), and had poorly controlled asthma (94%) at study enrollment. Higher daily stress was associated with financial difficulties, safety concerns in the home and community, and housing problems. Access to social support was consistently related to reduced stress. The only asthma-specific factor associated with life stress was healthcare utilization, with more emergency services for asthma related to higher daily stress. Findings underscore the clinical significance of assessing diverse home and community stressors and social support in low-income, inner-city caregivers of children with poorly controlled asthma.

Malt liquor marketing in inner cities: the role of neighborhood racial composition.

PubMed

McKee, Pat; Jones-Webb, Rhonda; Hannan, Peter; Pham, Lan

2011-01-01

In response to anecdotal reports that African American neighborhoods are targeted for high-alcohol malt liquor advertising, the authors observed alcohol ads on off-premise alcohol outlets, billboards, and transit structures in 10 U.S. cities over 3 years. Malt liquor ads were prevalent on storefronts, but rare on billboards. Using Poisson regression, the authors found that storefront malt liquor ads were more common in neighborhoods with higher percentages of African Americans, even after controlling for social and physical disorder. Results suggest that policymakers attempting to reduce malt liquor-related harms may do well to consider regulations that limit storefront advertising exposure.

Neighborhood characteristics and mental health among African Americans and whites living in a racially integrated urban community.

PubMed

Gary, Tiffany L; Stark, Sarah A; LaVeist, Thomas A

2007-06-01

Aspects of the environment in which one lives are increasingly being recognized as major contributors to health, yet few empirical studies have focused on mental health. Therefore, we sought to determine if neighborhood characteristics were associated with mental health outcomes among 1408 African-American (59.3%) and white (40.7%) adults living in a socio-economically homogeneous, racially integrated, urban community in Baltimore, MD. Among African Americans and whites, the perception of severe problems in the community was associated with higher levels of stress (approximately 1.8 units higher), anxiety (approximately 1.8 units higher), and depression (OR= approximately 2.0) compared to those who perceived no or few problems (all p<0.05). Community cohesion, the perception that people generally work together, was associated with better mental health among whites only. These findings give further insight into the complex environment of inner-city communities.

Is there a legacy of the U.S. Public Health Syphilis Study at Tuskegee in HIV/AIDS-related beliefs among heterosexual African-Americans and Latinos?

PubMed

Mays, Vickie M; Coles, Courtney N; Cochran, Susan D

2012-01-01

Knowledge of the US Public Health Syphilis Study at Tuskegee is sometime cited as a principal reason for the relatively low participation rates seen among racial/ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans, in biomedical research. However, only a few studies have actually explored this possibility. We use data from a random digit dial telephone survey of 510 African-Americans and 253 Latinos, age 18 to 45 years, to investigate associations between knowledge of the USPHS Syphilis Study at Tuskegee and endorsement of HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories. All respondents were drawn from an area of low-income, predominantly race-segregated inner city households in Los Angeles. Results indicate that African Americans were significantly more likely than Latinos to endorse HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories. Further, African Americans were more aware of the USPHS Syphilis Study at Tuskegee (SST). Nevertheless, 72% of African Americans and 94% of Latinos reported that they have never heard of the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Further, while awareness of the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee was a significant predictor of endorsing HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories, results suggest that other factors may be more important in accounting for low biomedical and behavioral study participation rates.

Is there a legacy of the U.S. Public Health Syphilis Study at Tuskegee in HIV/AIDS-related beliefs among heterosexual African-Americans and Latinos?

PubMed Central

Mays, Vickie M.; Coles, Courtney N.; Cochran, Susan D.

2012-01-01

Knowledge of the US Public Health Syphilis Study at Tuskegee is sometime cited as a principal reason for the relatively low participation rates seen among racial/ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans, in biomedical research. However, only a few studies have actually explored this possibility. We use data from a random digit dial telephone survey of 510 African-Americans and 253 Latinos, age 18 to 45 years, to investigate associations between knowledge of the USPHS Syphilis Study at Tuskegee and endorsement of HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories. All respondents were drawn from an area of low-income, predominantly race-segregated inner city households in Los Angeles. Results indicate that African Americans were significantly more likely than Latinos to endorse HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories. Further, African Americans were more aware of the USPHS Syphilis Study at Tuskegee (SST). Nevertheless, 72% of African Americans and 94% of Latinos reported that they have never heard of the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Further, while awareness of the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee was a significant predictor of endorsing HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories, results suggest that other factors may be more important in accounting for low biomedical and behavioral study participation rates. PMID:23308036

African American Males. A Critical Link in the African American Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Dionne J., Ed.

African Americans are experiencing extreme stress in the United States, and African-American males appear to suffer the most. The chapters in this volume examine some of the issues confronting African-American men today. They include: (1) "Introduction" (Dionne J. Jones); (2) "Reaffirming Young African American Males: Mentoring and…

Do men need empowering too? A systematic review of entrepreneurial education and microenterprise development on health disparities among inner-city black male youth.

PubMed

Jennings, Larissa

2014-10-01

Economic strengthening through entrepreneurial and microenterprise development has been shown to mitigate poverty-based health disparities in developing countries. Yet, little is known regarding the impact of similar approaches on disadvantaged U.S. populations, particularly inner-city African-American male youth disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, and adverse health outcomes. A systematic literature review was conducted to guide programming and research in this area. Eligible studies were those published in English from 2003 to 2014 which evaluated an entrepreneurial and microenterprise initiative targeting inner-city youth, aged 15 to 24, and which did not exclude male participants. Peer-reviewed publications were identified from two electronic bibliographic databases. A manual search was conducted among web-based gray literature and registered trials not yet published. Among the 26 papers retrieved for review, six met the inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. None of the 16 registered microenterprise trials were being conducted among disadvantaged populations in the U.S. The available literature suggests that entrepreneurial and microenterprise programs can positively impact youth's economic and psychosocial functioning and result in healthier decision-making. Young black men specifically benefited from increased autonomy, engagement, and risk avoidance. However, such programs are vastly underutilized among U.S. minority youth, and the current evidence is insufficiently descriptive or rigorous to draw definitive conclusions. Many programs described challenges in securing adequate resources, recruiting minority male youth, and sustaining community buy-in. There is an urgent need to increase implementation and evaluation efforts, using innovative and rigorous designs, to improve the low status of greater numbers of African-American male youth.

The effect of prevention messages and self-efficacy skill building with inner-city women at risk for HIV infection.

PubMed

DeMarco, Rosanna F; Kendricks, Malkia; Dolmo, Yolani; Looby, Sara E Dolan; Rinne, Kirsti

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of gender-sensitive and culturally relevant HIV prevention film messages combined with self-efficacy and skill building exercises on self-reported safe sex behaviors, intentions, attitudes, and self-advocacy over time. A sample of 131 women of mixed ethnicity from inner-city Boston who were living in transitional housing participated in a 4-week pre/postmeasurement design. Results showed that, despite the short duration of the intervention, participants self-reported significantly more use of safe sex behaviors and being prepared for sexual intimacy after the intervention. The study validated use of an approach originally intended for African American women with other women at risk for HIV.

Attitudes toward antiretroviral therapy among African American women.

PubMed

Richter, Donna L; Sowell, Richard L; Pluto, Delores M

2002-01-01

To examine attitudes and beliefs of African American women of childbearing age, living with HIV, about pregnancy and antiretroviral therapy. Focus groups were conducted using an exploratory design with a convenience sample of HIV-infected women in 2 southeastern cities. Thirty-three African American women of childbearing age participated in 5 focus groups. Attitudes and beliefs about antiretroviral therapy were related to the women's willingness to comply with treatment. The challenge for health care providers is to counter women's willingness to "play the odds" of having a noninfected baby without taking antiretrovirals.

Postpartum Depression among African-American and Latina Mothers Living in Small Cities, Towns, and Rural Communities.

PubMed

Ceballos, Miguel; Wallace, Gail; Goodwin, Glenda

2016-10-19

The presence of postpartum depression can lead to poor maternal-child attachment, failure to thrive, and even infant death. Postpartum depression affects 13-19 % of parturients. However, among racial and ethnic minority parturients, postpartum depression rates have been shown to reach up to 35-67 % (as reported by O'Hara and McCabe, Annu Rev Clin Psychol 9:379-407, 2013; Boury et al., Women Health. 39(3):19-34, 2004; Ramos-Marcuse et al.. J Affect Disord. 122(1-2):68-75, 2010; Lucero et al., J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 24(12):726-34, 2012). This is more concerning when considering the fact that these mothers are also hardest to reach because they are usually marginalized and displaced within mainstream US society. The current study assesses potential risk factors that contribute to postpartum depression among African-American and Latina mothers. We analyze data from 3317 Healthy Start participants living in small cities, towns, and rural areas in Pennsylvania using a logistic regression analysis controlling for known contributing risk factors, including maternal health, family life, social support, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and community of residence. We use a multiple imputation multivariate analysis to account for the potential effects of missing data. The results show that the odds of a risk of postpartum depression is nearly 80 and 40 % greater for African-American (OR = 1.80, p < .001) and Latina mothers (OR = 1.41, p < .01), respectively, as compared to white mothers. While the higher risks of postpartum depression for Latinas is explained in part by socioeconomic status, community of residence, and immigrant status, the significantly higher risk among African-American mothers cannot be completely ameliorated by the controlled variables. Our study highlights the need for further research into the impact of social and environmental stressors on postpartum depression among racial and ethnic minority populations living in small cities

Stages of Change as a Correlate of Mental Health Symptoms in Abused, Low-Income African American Women

PubMed Central

Edwards, Tiffany A.; Houry, Debra; Kemball, Robin S.; Harp, Sharon E.; McNutt, Louise-Anne; Straus, Helen; Rhodes, Karin V.; Cerulli, Catherine; Kaslow, Nadine J.

2006-01-01

The current study aims to further our understanding of the applicability of the transtheoretical model (TM) to intimate partner violence (IPV), with particular focus on mental health symptoms (depression, posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology, suicidal ideation) in a sample of low-income African American women seeking medical services at an inner city emergency department. Results revealed that of the 121 abused African American women, the majority (95%) were in the precontempla-tion and contemplation stages of the change process. Further, contrary to predictions, bivariate analyses revealed those at further stages of change endorsed more severe mental health symptoms. However, a multivariate analysis of variance examining differences in level of mental health symptoms between women high and low on stages of change was inconclusive due to the small number of women at the higher stages of the TM model. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature supporting the TM as applied to IPV. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to intervention design. PMID:16897735

The Role of Empowerment in a School-Based Community Service Program with Inner-City, Minority Youth

PubMed Central

Gullan, Rebecca L.; Power, Thomas J.; Leff, Stephen S.

2014-01-01

Despite considerable fiscal and structural support for youth service programs, research has not demonstrated consistent outcomes across participants or programs, suggesting the need to identify critical program processes. The present study addresses this need through preliminary examination of the role of program empowerment in promoting positive identity development in inner-city, African American youth participating in a pilot school-based service program. Results suggest that participants who experienced the program as empowering experienced increases in self-efficacy, sense of civic responsibility, and ethnic identity, over and above general engagement and enjoyment of the program. Preliminary exploration of differences based on participant gender suggests that some results may be stronger and more consistent for males than females. These findings provide preliminary support for the importance of theoretically grounded program processes in producing positive outcomes for youth service participants. PMID:25104875

Stress mitigation to promote development of prosocial values and school engagement of inner-city urban African American and Latino youth.

PubMed

Tolan, Patrick; Lovegrove, Peter; Clark, Eren

2013-01-01

Studies of predictors of development of young men of color have been primarily focused on factors that impede positive development rather than factors that promote it. There are also few examples of longitudinal studies of positive development of this population and few that consider multiple protective factors simultaneously. Little is also known about how such positive outcomes might relate to prediction of problematic functioning. This study tests a developmental-ecological framework of positive and risky development among a sample of young men of color growing up in high-risk urban environments. African American and Latino adolescent males (148 African American, 193 Latino) were followed from early to late adolescence. Stress in early adolescence was related to school engagement and prosocial values as well as depressive symptoms and problems assessed 2 years later. The role of family and individual protective factors as direct effects and as mitigating the stress-outcome relation were also tested. Stress predicted problem outcomes but not positive functioning. Early engagement in prosocial activities and coping skills did predict positive outcomes. In contrast, problem outcomes were predicted directly by stress, with some indication of interaction with some protective factors for both such outcomes. Overall results suggest value in focusing on positive outcomes along with negative outcomes, as they are not the antithesis and have some shared but some different predictors. Implications for supporting positive development are presented. © 2013 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Perceptions of Mate Selection for Marriage among African American, College-Educated, Single Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Rochelle

2009-01-01

This ethnographic study researched the perceptions of mate selection for marriage and the decisions of college-educated, African American mothers who bore children while single. Twenty-five senior-level African American students who attended a college in New York City participated in the study. There has been a significant change in the family…

Gender Distrust and Intimate Unions among Low-Income Hispanic and African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estacion, Angela; Cherlin, Andrew

2010-01-01

This article investigates levels of generalized distrust of men among low-income non-Hispanic African American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican and non-Hispanic White women in a three-city survey. The results reveal substantial variation. Hispanics' overall levels of distrust are found to be higher than levels for either African Americans or…

African American's Perceptions of Psychotherapy and Psychotherapists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Vetta L. Sanders; Akbar, Maysa D.; Bazile, Anita

The attitudes and beliefs about utilization of mental health services of 201 African Americans, 18 years and older, are explored. One hundred and thirty-four females and 66 males participated in mixed sex focus groups conducted in an urban, Midwestern city. Discussion probes addressed participant perceptions of psychotherapists and psychotherapy,…

Insurance-Related Barriers to Accessing Dental Care Among African American Adults With Oral Health Symptoms in Harlem, New York City

PubMed Central

Siegel, Karolynn; Wolfson, Natalie H.; Mitchell, Dennis A.; Kunzel, Carol

2011-01-01

Although ability to pay is associated with dental care utilization, provision of public or private dental insurance has not eliminated dental care disparities between African American and White adults. We examined insurance-related barriers to dental care in interviews with a street-intercept sample of 118 African American adults in Harlem, New York City, with recent oral health symptoms. Although most participants reported having dental insurance (21% private, 50% Medicaid), reported barriers included (1) lack of coverage, (2) insufficient coverage, (3) inability to find a dentist who accepts their insurance, (4) having to wait for coverage to take effect, and (5) perceived poor quality of care for the uninsured or underinsured. These findings provide insights into why disparities persist and suggest strategies to removing these barriers to dental care. PMID:21680926

Urban Middle School African American Girls' Attitudes toward Physical Education and Out-of-School Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Victor

2012-01-01

The purposes of this two-part study were (1) to investigate urban middle school African American girls' physical activity levels and their relationships to attitudes and, (2) to explore urban middle school African American girls' attitude toward physical education. A total of (N = 649) African American girls from 14 New York City middle schools…

Violence as a barrier to compliance for the hypertensive urban African American.

PubMed Central

Fong, R. L.

1995-01-01

Violence is now recognized as a health epidemic. Violence is especially prevalent in inner-city African-American communities. Most of the attention has focused on youths. However, the effects of violence extend to the communities' hypertensive patients. Patients are subjected to the emotional impact of violence on and individual level. Studies linking stress, with hypertension have not directly addressed the role of violence. As a group, they suffer from violence's diverting of funds in the health-care system. For this particular subgroup, violence is ingrained in their daily lives. Their coping mechanisms often place compliance with antihypertensive measures in jeopardy. Community intervention is needed to address the violence. However, primary care physicians in these communities must inquire about the impact violence has on their hypertensive patients to eliminate possible compliance barriers. PMID:7731070

Do breastfeeding intentions of pregnant inner-city teens and adult women differ?

PubMed

Alexander, Ashley; O'Riordan, Mary Ann; Furman, Lydia

2010-12-01

This study compared the breastfeeding intentions and attitudes of pregnant low-income inner-city teens (age ≤19 years) and non-teens (age ≥20) to determine if age is a significant determinant of intent to breastfeed in this population. We used structured interviews to examine the feeding intentions and attitudes of consecutive healthy pregnant women receiving obstetrical care at the Women's Health Center, MacDonald Women's Hospital, Cleveland, OH (June 1-July 31, 2007). The primary outcome measure was rate of intent to breastfeed among teen versus non-teen participants. Attitudes and self-assessed knowledge regarding breastfeeding were compared between teens and non-teens, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of age on breastfeeding intent. We interviewed 176 pregnant women (95% African-American, 94% single marital status, median age 22 years [range, 15-41 years], 46 [26%] teens) at a median of 27 weeks of pregnancy. There were no significant differences between teens and non-teens in race, marital status, or timing of first prenatal visit or interview. Rate of intent to breastfeed and planned duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding, as well as most measured attitudes about breastfeeding including "back to work" plans, were not significantly different between groups. Significant determinants of feeding intent included primiparity, good self-assessed knowledge about breastfeeding, and having support from the father of the baby. In a population at high risk for choosing not to breastfeed, we found no significant explanatory effect of age on breastfeeding intention, implying that an inclusive targeted breastfeeding intervention program may be effective for both teens and non-teens in a low-income inner-city population. We also found that the support of the father of the baby significantly influenced breastfeeding intent among our participants, suggesting that paternal involvement will be integral to the success of

Enterprise Zones: Restoring Economic Vitality to Inner-City Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Robert

1982-01-01

Discusses how the proposed urban enterprise zones would solve problems of inner-city areas. The zones are designed to provide tax incentives which would attract new businesses to the inner city, create new jobs, and revitalize urban centers. (AM)

Africa, Roots and Pride for Afro-Americans. An Instructional Unit for High School Anthropology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Margaret H.

This three to four-week high school anthropology unit examines the African heritage of black Americans. The unit was written for students in an inner city all black public high school. Objectives are to foster a sense of pride in black Americans' heritage, learn how black Americans can discover their roots, examine causes and consequences of the…

Obesity and African Americans

MedlinePlus

... Data > Minority Population Profiles > Black/African American > Obesity Obesity and African Americans African American women have the ... youthonline . [Accessed 08/18/2017] HEALTH IMPACT OF OBESITY People who are overweight are more likely to ...

Culturally Grounded Stress Reduction and Suicide Prevention for African American Adolescents

PubMed Central

Robinson, W. LaVome; Case, Mary H.; Whipple, Christopher R.; Gooden, Adia S.; Lopez-Tamayo, Roberto; Lambert, Sharon F.; Jason, Leonard A.

2016-01-01

Suicide is an often-overlooked manifestation of violence among African American youth that has become more prevalent in the last two decades. This article reports on the process used to culturally adapt a cognitive-behavioral coping with stress prevention intervention for African American adolescents. We implemented this adapted school-based suicide prevention intervention with 758 African American 9th, 10th and 11th grade students at four high schools in a large Midwestern city. The findings presented are preliminary. The adolescents in this sample endorsed high levels of suicide risk, with females endorsing significantly more suicide risk than males. Those receiving the prevention intervention evidenced an 86% relative suicide risk reduction, compared to the standard care control participants. The presented model of adaptation and resulting culturally-grounded suicide prevention intervention significantly reduced suicide risk among African American adolescents. Clinical, research and policy implications are discussed. PMID:27517094

Incipient and overt diabetic nephropathy in African Americans with NIDDM.

PubMed

Dasmahapatra, A; Bale, A; Raghuwanshi, M P; Reddi, A; Byrne, W; Suarez, S; Nash, F; Varagiannis, E; Skurnick, J H

1994-04-01

with diabetes duration. No correlation with age, lipid levels, or GHb was noted. BMI correlated with AER. CONCLUSIONS--Incipient and overt nephropathy were observed frequently in these African-American subjects with NIDDM. Albuminuria correlated with BP, younger age at diabetes onset, and BMI. Association of albuminuria and increased cardiovascular mortality may place 50% of inner-city African-American patients with NIDDM at risk for developing cardiovascular complications.

Effect of NQO1 and CYP4F2 genotypes on warfarin dose requirements in Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans.

PubMed

Bress, Adam; Patel, Shitalben R; Perera, Minoli A; Campbell, Richard T; Kittles, Rick A; Cavallari, Larisa H

2012-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine the additional contribution of NQO1 and CYP4F2 genotypes to warfarin dose requirements across two racial groups after accounting for known clinical and genetic predictors. The following were assessed in a cohort of 260 African-Americans and 53 Hispanic-Americans: clinical data; NQO1 p.P187S (*1/*2); CYP2C9*2, *3, *5, *6, *8 and *11; CYP4F2 p.V433M; and VKORC1 c.-1639G>A genotypes. Both the CYP4F2 433M (0.23 vs 0.06; p < 0.05) and NQO1*2 (0.27 vs 0.18; p < 0.05) allele frequencies were higher in Hispanic-Americans compared with African-Americans. Multiple regression analysis in the Hispanic-American cohort revealed that each CYP4F2 433M allele was associated with a 22% increase in warfarin maintenance dose (p = 0.019). Possession of the NQO1*2 allele was associated with a 34% increase in warfarin maintenance dose (p = 0.004), while adjusting for associated genetic (CYP2C9, CYP4F2 and VKORC1) and clinical factors. In this population, the inclusion of CYP4F2 and NQO1*2 genotypes improved the dose variability explained by the model from 0.58 to 0.68 (p = 0.001), a 17% relative improvement. By contrast, there was no association between CYP4F2 or NQO1*2 genotype and therapeutic warfarin dose in African-Americans after adjusting for known genetic and clinical predictors. In our cohort of inner-city Hispanic-Americans, the CYP4F2 and NQO1*2 genotypes significantly contributed to warfarin dose requirements. If our findings are confirmed, they would suggest that inclusion of the CYP4F2 and NQO1*2 genotypes in warfarin dose prediction algorithms may improve the predictive ability of such algorithms in Hispanic-Americans.

Preparing for Prison: Life in San Francisco's Inner-City Neighborhoods. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Harvey W.; And Others

A study of inner-city youth in San Francisco (California) shows that behavior and street ideology once associated exclusively with gangs have now become the world view of a large segment of inner-city young people, especially males. Inner-city young people who aspire to material success do not see a realistic connection between public education…

Theorising Inner-City Masculinities: "Race," Class, Gender and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Louise; Yamashita, Hiromi

2003-01-01

Discusses how to theorize diverse, working-class male students' masculinities within an inner-city, multicultural context. Data from discussions with boys at one inner-city London school are used to illustrate the boys' complex constructions of culturally entangled masculinities. Examines boys' constructions of "bad boy" masculinities…

Social Environment and Sexual Risk-Taking among Gay and Transgender African American Youth

PubMed Central

Stevens, Robin; Bernadini, Stephen; Jemmott, John B.

2014-01-01

More prevention effort is required as the HIV epidemic increases among gay and transgender African American youth. Using ecological systems theory and an integrative model of behaviour change, this study examines the sexual behaviour of gay and transgender African American young people as embedded within the unique social and structural environments affecting this population. Also examined is the important role played by mobile technology in the social and sexual lives of individuals. Seven focus groups were conducted with 54 African American young adults in a northeastern U.S. city. The findings provide a rich examination of the social and sexual lives of gay and transgender African American youth, focusing on the social environment and the impact of the environment on sexual risk behaviour. PMID:23889233

Inner-City Realities: Democracy within Difference, Theory, and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanpol, Barry; Yeo, Fred

1995-01-01

A narration of teaching experiences in an inner-city school in California is the basis for a proposed democratic educational platform that suggests ways to move beyond the despair and frustration of inner-city teaching without losing sight of the painful realities. Implications for teacher education are discussed. (SLD)

Reverse Commuting and the Inner City Low-Income Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillard, Quentin

1979-01-01

Addresses an implicit assumption of the geographical mismatch hypothesis in urban labor markets, that accessibility to suburban labor markets is an important determinant of inner city income levels. Discusses the effects of residential segregation and lack of transportation on inner-city residents' incomes in metropolitan areas of five different…

A School That Fosters Resilience in Inner-City Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freiberg, H. Jerome

1993-01-01

Discusses attributes of families, students, schools, peers, and communities that foster resilience among inner-city youth, examining these factors at one inner-city elementary school. The exploration is based on a longitudinal study of the achievement and climate and survey and interview data collected over five years. (SLD)

An Intervention to Reduce Residential Insecticide Exposure during Pregnancy among an Inner-City Cohort

PubMed Central

Williams, Megan K.; Barr, Dana B.; Camann, David E.; Cruz, Linda A.; Carlton, Elizabeth J.; Borjas, Mejico; Reyes, Andria; Evans, Dave; Kinney, Patrick L.; Whitehead, Ralph D.; Perera, Frederica P.; Matsoanne, Stephen; Whyatt, Robin M.

2006-01-01

Background We previously reported widespread insecticide exposure during pregnancy among inner-city women from New York City. Here we report on a pilot intervention using integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce pest infestations and residential insecticide exposures among pregnant New York City African-American and Latina women (25 intervention and 27 control homes). Methods The IPM consisted of professional cleaning, sealing of pest entry points, application of low-toxicity pesticides, and education. Cockroach infestation levels and 2-week integrated indoor air samples were collected at baseline and one month postintervention. The insecticides detected in the indoor air samples were also measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood collected at delivery. Results Cockroach infestations decreased significantly (p = 0.016) after the intervention among intervention cases but not control households. Among the intervention group, levels of piperonyl butoxide (a pyrethroid synergist) were significantly lower in indoor air samples after the intervention (p = 0.016). Insecticides were detected in maternal blood samples collected at delivery from controls but not from the intervention group. The difference was significant for trans-permethrin (p = 0.008) and of borderline significance (p = 0.1) for cis-permethrin and 2-isopropoxyphenol (a propoxur metabolite). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study to use biologic dosimeters of prenatal pesticide exposure for assessing effectiveness of IPM. These pilot data suggest that IPM is an effective strategy for reducing pest infestation levels and the internal dose of insecticides during pregnancy. PMID:17107853

A cultural model of infidelity among African American and Puerto Rican young adults.

PubMed

Macauda, Mark M; Erickson, Pamela I; Singer, Merrill C; Santelices, Claudia C

2011-12-01

Having concurrent sexual partners is a risk factor for STIs and HIV/AIDS, yet few studies have investigated the cultural meanings and functions of concurrency. A multi-method qualitative/quantitative study of sexual ideas, attitudes, and behaviors among inner-city Puerto Rican and African American emergent adults (age 18-25) in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, suggests that having concurrent partners is common in this population. Using data from 12 focus groups and 40 participants in systematic data collection techniques (e.g., pile sorts), the underlying cognitive structure of concurrency and cheating/infidelity are explored. Results suggest that participants are less tolerant of multiple partners in more committed relationships, but that very few relationships can be considered committed. Furthermore, participants see cheating as inevitable even in committed relationships. Sexual transgressions are considered the most severe form of cheating. Having an outside partner for emotional reasons or to have access to one's child were seen as more acceptable/forgivable than doing so for sexual satisfaction, social status or material goods. Multiple partnerships must be seen in the context of the inner city where resources and opportunities are scarce and young adults attempt to protect themselves from emotional injury. Documenting new and changing social constructions of infidelity is important for understanding the social context of sexual behavior in our global world and for designing culturally appropriate health interventions.

Unique Problems of the Inner City Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombardi, John

Urban changes such as population increase, shifts in population groups, suburban growth, and central city decay have produced special problems for the inner city college--de facto segregation, inadequate education programs, racial imbalance of employees, and discrimination in student participant activities. The attempts to prevent…

A Rationale for Building a Comprehensive Science Program for Inner-City Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Charles Arthur

The intent of this dissertation was to develop a science curriculum from an inner-city perspective. Five units and a rationale for inner-city education are included. The units include both physical and biological science topics. The units are as follows: (1) Rationale for Building a Comprehensive Science Program for Inner-City Education; (2) With…

The Severely-Distressed African American Family in the Crack Era: Empowerment is not Enough

PubMed Central

Dunlap, Eloise; Golub, Andrew; Johnson, Bruce D.

2008-01-01

Numerous African American families have struggled for generations with persistent poverty, especially in the inner city. These conditions were further strained during the 1980s and 1990s by the widespread use of crack cocaine. For many, crack use became an obsession, dominated their lives, and superseded family responsibilities. This behavior placed additional pressure on already stressed kin support networks. This paper explores the processes prevailing in two households during this period. In the 2000s, children born to members of the Crack Generation are avoiding use of crack but face major deficits from their difficult childhoods. This presents both challenges and opportunities. The discussion considers initiatives from both a social problems and a strengths perspective that could help these families and help these families help themselves to advance their economic circumstances. PMID:18852841

Motivators, Barriers, and Facilitators to Weight Loss and Behavior Change Among African American Adults in Baltimore City: A Qualitative Analysis.

PubMed

Coe, William H; Redmond, Leslie; Parisi, Jeanine M; Bowie, Janice V; Liu, Elizabeth Y; Ng, Tin Yee; Onyuka, Alberta M A; Cort, Marcia; Cheskin, Lawrence J

2017-01-01

African American adults achieve smaller amounts of weight loss than their white counterparts when exposed to the same intervention and are more likely to regain weight during long-term follow-up. To identify perceived motivators, barriers, and facilitators to weight loss and behavior change among African American adults. Two focus groups were conducted between April and May 2015 at an urban community health center in Baltimore City, Maryland. A total of 13 participants took part in the discussions. Eligible participants were obese (BMI 30+) African American adults aged 21-70 who had at least one obesity-related comorbidity. Discussion questions were designed to identify the personal, social, and environmental factors that influence weight loss and behavior change among urban minority populations. Statements were first classified as a motivator, barrier, or facilitator, then divided further as a personal, social, or environmental factor influencing weight loss and behavior change. Among the findings, several novel motivators (reducing or eliminating medication, improving physical intimacy) and barriers (personal transportation, lack of access to scales) emerged that were not previously characterized in the existing literature. This study was intended to provide preliminary evidence that may be used to guide the development of innovative and culturally relevant weight-loss interventions in the future. Results are applicable to similar urban minority populations. Copyright © 2017 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Further Education Colleges and Inner-City Regeneration. Strategies for Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Further Education Unit, London (England).

A study explored the roles of three British further education colleges in different inner-city geographical settings in initiating and supporting inner-city regeneration. Selected colleges initiated and contributed toward local regeneration during 1989-90. The project identified an increasing recognition that there were social and economic…

African-Americans and Alzheimer's

MedlinePlus

... Share Plus on Google Plus African-Americans and Alzheimer's alz.org | IHaveAlz Introduction 10 Warning Signs Brain ... African-Americans are at a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. Many Americans dismiss the warning signs of ...

Mental Health and African Americans

MedlinePlus

... than Non-Hispanic whites. The death rate from suicide for African American men was more than four ... for African American women, in 2014. However, the suicide rate for African Americans is 70% lower than ...

Childhood obesity policy: implications for African American girls and a nursing ecological model.

PubMed

Reed, Monique

2013-01-01

In the United States there is a prevalence of obesity among ethnic groups, especially African American girls. The author in this column examines through an ecological lens selected American federal, state, and city policies and program interventions aimed at reducing obesity. Specifically, the eating behavior of African American girls is discussed as a population subset for which significant gaps are present in current obesity policy and implementation. Policy recommendations should include parents as research has shown a significant relationship in the eating behaviors of African American girls and their parents. Opportunities for nurses in practice and research to test the effectiveness of family and community level policy and program initiatives that address the ecological perspectives of the adolescent environment are discussed.

Health maintenance organizations: are they for the inner cities?

PubMed

Roman, S A

1975-01-01

Health Maintenance Organizations present some major limitations as a means to address the health care needs in our nation's inner cities. The HMO as it has been affected by HMO legislation is discussed and an identification made of those areas that may adversely affect the delivery of health services to inner-city residents where costs may be greatest for those who can least afford it.

African American Suicide

MedlinePlus

African American Suicide Fact Sheet Based on 2012 Data (2014) Overview • In 2012, 2,357 African Americans completed suicide in the U.S. Of these, 1,908 (80. ... rate of 9.23 per 100,000). The suicide rate for females was 1.99 per 100, ...

Principals' and School Counselors' Perception of Counseling Supports for African American Male High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Stacey J.

2016-01-01

Understanding and providing the appropriate supports for African American male high school students is critical to their academic success. This study provided the opportunity to examine how principals and school counselors perceive the support given to African American male high school students in high schools in New York City. School counselors…

Psychological Misdiagnosis of African Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garretson, Deborah J.

1993-01-01

Reviews historical and current problems with making accurate psychological diagnoses of African Americans. Suggests that misdiagnosis is strongly related to pathologization of African-American culture itself. Explores diagnostic process, stereotypes of African-American psychopathology, cultural differences in values and life stressors, and…

Differential effects of the classroom on African American and non-African American's mathematics achievement.

PubMed

Schenke, Katerina; Nguyen, Tutrang; Watts, Tyler W; Sarama, Julie H; Clements, Douglas H

2017-08-01

We examined whether African American students differentially responded to dimensions of the observed classroom-learning environment compared with non-African American students. Further, we examined whether these dimensions of the classroom mediated treatment effects of a preschool mathematics intervention targeted at students from low-income families. Three observed dimensions of the classroom (teacher expectations and developmental appropriateness; teacher confidence and enthusiasm; and support for mathematical discourse) were evaluated in a sample of 1,238 preschool students in 101 classrooms. Using multigroup multilevel mediation where African American students were compared to non-African American students, we found that teachers in the intervention condition had higher ratings on the observed dimensions of the classroom compared with teachers in the control condition. Further, ratings on teacher expectations and developmental appropriateness had larger associations with the achievement of African American students than for non-African Americans. Findings suggest that students within the same classroom may react differently to that learning environment and that classroom learning environments could be structured in ways that are beneficial for students who need the most support.

Successfully Educating Our African-American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moncree-Moffett, Kareem

2013-01-01

The purpose of this empirical study was to explore the lived experiences of African American retired female teachers who have prior experience with educating urban African American students in public schools. Also explored are the experiences of active African American female teachers of urban African American students and comparisons are…

Exploring the Causes of Underachievement of African American Boys: A Qualitative Descriptive Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Rosetta

2017-01-01

The qualitative descriptive case study explores the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American boys in New York City public elementary schools. Numerous studies have been conducted at the middle school through college levels. However, very little is known about the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American…

Project Canada West. Inner City Project: Student Initiated Research into Problems of the Inner City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Western Curriculum Project on Canada Studies, Edmonton (Alberta).

This project is in the process of developing a new curriculum, which they hope will provide senior high school inner city students with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will enable them in later life to participate effectively in the political life of their community. Specific cognitive objectives include: 1) knowledge of the…

Teaching African-American Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Harold

1994-01-01

Examines the historical blighting of African-American slaves' minds, which stripped them of their African culture. Examines the effect on African-American children, as well as other children of color. Offers suggestions for coping with the problems of modern schools in terms of respecting and teaching these children that the system is the problem,…

African American Women’s Preparation for Childbirth From the Perspective of African American Health-Care Providers

PubMed Central

Abbyad, Christine; Robertson, Trina Reed

2011-01-01

Preparation for birthing has focused primarily on Caucasian women. No studies have explored African American women’s birth preparation. From the perceptions of 12 African American maternity health-care providers, this study elicited perceptions of the ways in which pregnant African American women prepare for childbirth. Focus group participants answered seven semistructured questions. Four themes emerged: connecting with nurturers, traversing an unresponsive system, the need to be strong, and childbirth classes not a priority. Recommendations for nurses and childbirth educators include: (a) self-awareness of attitudes toward African Americans, (b) empowering of clients for birthing, (c) recognition of the role that pregnant women’s mothers play, (d) tailoring of childbirth classes for African American women, and (e) research on how racism influences pregnant African American women’s preparation for birthing. PMID:22211059

Gout in African Americans.

PubMed

Krishnan, Eswar

2014-09-01

African Americans have a substantially higher prevalence of risk factors for gout than Caucasians. The aim of the present study was to compare the risk for incident gout among African Americans and Caucasians. Incidence rates of physician-diagnosed gout among 11,559 Caucasian men and 931 African American men aged 35 to 57 years and at high cardiovascular risk, observed for 7 years as a part of the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, were analyzed. Cox regression models were used to account for potential confounding by age, body mass index, diuretic use, hypertension and diabetes status, aspirin and alcohol consumption, and kidney disease. At baseline, after accounting for risk factors, African Americans had a 14% lower prevalence of hyperuricemia than Caucasians. Incidence of gout increased with increasing prevalence of risk factors in both Caucasians and African Americans. Ethnic disparities in incidence rates were most apparent among those without other risk factors for gout. In separate Cox regression models, after accounting for risk factors, African American ethnicity was associated with a hazard ratio of 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.93) for physician-diagnosed gout and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85-0.90) for incident hyperuricemia. Significant interactions were observed; the association was the strongest (hazard ratio 0.47; 0.37-0.60). These associations were unaffected by addition of serum urate as a covariate or by using alternate case definitions for gout. After accounting for the higher prevalence of risk factors, African American ethnicity is associated with a significantly lower risk for gout and hyperuricemia compared with Caucasian ethnicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multimedia Educational Program Increases Science Achievement Among Inner-City Non-Asian Minority Middle-School Students

PubMed Central

Murray, Nancy G.; Opuni, Kwame A.; Reininger, Belinda; Sessions, Nathalie; Mowry, Melanie M.; Hobbs, Mary

2011-01-01

This study tested the effectiveness of a middle-school, multi-media health-sciences educational program called HEADS UP in non-Asian–minority (Hispanic and African American), inner-city students. The program was designed to increase the number of non-Asian minority students entering the academic health-sciences pipeline. Students of Asian ethnicity were excluded because they are not underrepresented in science professions. The curriculum modules include video role-model stories featuring minority scientists and students, hands-on classroom activities, and teacher resources. The modules (evaluated from 2004-2007) were developed through collaboration among The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, the Spring Branch Independent School District, and the Health Museum, Houston. A quasi-experimental, two-group pre-test/post-test design was used to assess program effects on students' performance, interest, and confidence in their ability to perform well in science; fear of science; and confidence in their ability to pursue science-related careers. An intervention school was matched to a comparison school by test scores, school demographics, and student demographics. Then, pairs of sixth-grade students (428 students) were matched by fifth-grade scores in science and by gender, ethnicity, and poverty status (free or reduced lunch) and followed up for three years. At eighth grade, students from the intervention school scored significantly higher (F=12.38, p<0.001) on the Stanford 10 Achievement Test in science and reported higher interest in science (F=11.08, p<0.001) than their matched pairs from the comparison school. HEADS UP shows potential for improving inner-city minority middle school students' performance and interest in science and is an innovative example of translating health-sciences research to the community. PMID:19474564

Narcolepsy in African Americans

PubMed Central

Kawai, Makoto; O'Hara, Ruth; Einen, Mali; Lin, Ling; Mignot, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: Although narcolepsy affects 0.02–0.05% of individuals in various ethnic groups, clinical presentation in different ethnicities has never been fully characterized. Our goal was to study phenotypic expression across ethnicities in the United States. Design/Setting: Cases of narcolepsy from 1992 to 2013 were identified from searches of the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy Research database. International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition diagnosis criteria for type 1 and type 2 narcolepsy were used for inclusion, but subjects were separated as with and without cataplexy for the purpose of data presentation. Information extracted included demographics, ethnicity and clinical data, HLA-DQB1*06:02, polysomnography (PSG), multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) data, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypocretin-1 level. Patients: 182 African-Americans, 839 Caucasians, 35 Asians, and 41 Latinos with narcolepsy. Results: Sex ratio, PSG, and MSLT findings did not differ across ethnicities. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score was higher and age of onset of sleepiness earlier in African Americans compared with other ethnicities. HLA-DQB1*06:02 positivity was higher in African Americans (91.0%) versus others (76.6% in Caucasians, 80.0% in Asians, and 65.0% in Latinos). CSF hypocretin-1 level, obtained in 222 patients, was more frequently low (≤ 110 pg/ml) in African Americans (93.9%) versus Caucasians (61.5%), Asians (85.7%) and Latinos (75.0%). In subjects with low CSF hypocretin-1, African Americans (28.3%) were 4.5 fold more likely to be without cataplexy when compared with Caucasians (8.1%). Conclusions: Narcolepsy in African Americans is characterized by earlier symptom onset, higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, higher HLA-DQB1*06:02 positivity, and low cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 level in the absence of cataplexy. In African Americans, more subjects without cataplexy have type 1 narcolepsy. Citation: Kawai M, O'Hara R, Einen M, Lin L

The Education of African-Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willie, Charles V., Ed.; And Others

The 17 papers in this volume are products of a study group on the education of African Americans that was part of a national project, "The Assessment of the Status of African-Americans." The volume takes a comprehensive look at the education of African Americans, specifically early childhood through postsecondary education, and relevant…

Lung cancer disparities and African-Americans.

PubMed

Sin, Mo-Kyung

2017-07-01

African-Americans, as historically disadvantaged minorities, have more advanced stages of cancer when diagnosed, lower survival rates, and lower rates of accessing timely care than do Caucasians. Lung cancer incidence and mortality, in particular, are high among African-Americans. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently released an evidence-based lung cancer screening technology called low-dose computerized tomography. High-risk African-Americans might benefit greatly from such screening but not many are aware of this technology. Public health nurses can play a key role in increasing awareness of the technology among African-American communities and encouraging qualified African-Americans to obtain screening. This study discusses issues with lung cancer and smoking among African-Americans, a recently released evidence-based lung cancer screening technology, and implications for public health nurses to enhance uptake of the new screening technology among high-risk African-Americans. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

After School Activities, Overweight, and Obesity among Inner City Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkins, Whitney L.; Cohen, Deborah A.; Koralewicz, Lisa M.; Taylor, Stephanie N.

2004-01-01

We examined the association of adolescent obesity with participation in sports among 5489 low-income, inner city public high school students. Among inner city youth 28.5% of males and 33.7% of females were overweight and 15.9% of boys and 16.4% of girls were obese. For both males and females, participation in an increasing number of athletic…

Ethnic disparity in mortality after diagnosis of colorectal cancer among inner city minority New Yorkers.

PubMed

Kanna, Balavenkatesh; Narang, Tarun K; Atwal, Tegpal; Paul, Doru; Azeez, Sulaiman

2009-12-01

Ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality are observed in the United States. The authors studied this among minority New Yorkers with CRC. In a study of CRC patients in a New York City teaching hospital, 5-year data on demographics and clinical features were reviewed. Adjusted cancer-related deaths and early deaths (within 6 months of diagnosis) were compared among African Americans (AAs) and Hispanics. Descriptive analyses, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are reported. A P value of <.05 was considered significant. Among 202 CRC subjects, we noted the following: Hispanics, 148 (73%); AAs, 54 (27%); women, 107 (53%); mean age, 64.5 years; and screening colonoscopy, 44 (22%). CRC was diagnosed by colonoscopy in 157 (78%) and by surgery in 45 (22%) cases. One hundred twenty-two (60%) had stage 0-II CRC, and 69 (34%) had proximal colonic lesions. Fifty-four of 202 patients died during the study period (median, 27 months), of whom 24 (11.9%) were early deaths. Significantly higher odds of death (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 2.03-7.81), especially early death (OR, 5.94; 95% CI, 2.42-14.6) was observed among AAs. There was no difference in demographic and other clinical features, or treatment between Hispanics and AAs (P = nonsignificant). The first to compare inner city minority subjects with CRC, the authors observed increased odds of death in AAs, despite similar clinical features and living environment. Tumor behavior or host response among AAs could explain this difference. Aggressive therapeutic and early detection strategies need to be tested in a large randomized study setting to substantiate our study findings. (c) 2009 American Cancer Society.

The Criminal Justice Experience of African American Cocaine Users in Arkansas.

PubMed

Zaller, Nickolas; Cheney, Ann M; Curran, Geoffrey M; Booth, Brenda M; Borders, Tyrone F

2016-10-14

African Americans are incarcerated at rates much higher than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. We sought to qualitatively explore the relationships between ongoing involvement in the criminal justice system and continued drug use in a population of urban and rural African American cocaine users in a southern state. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted among African American cocaine users in Arkansas between 2010 and 2012. Participants resided in both rural (two counties located in the eastern Arkansas Mississippi delta region) and urban (the county including the capital city of Little Rock) areas. Numerous important themes emerged from participants' narratives, including chronic involvement with the criminal justice system (being a "career criminal"), continued access to drugs while incarcerated, relapse, and reincarceration and lack of access to effective drug treatment. Conclusion/Importance: The themes which emerged from our data speak to the collective experience that many substance using populations in the United States face in dealing with the criminal justice system. Our findings highlight the need to better, more holistic ways of engaging African American substance users in community based substance use treatment and supportive services.

The Criminal Justice Experience of African American Cocaine Users in Arkansas

PubMed Central

Zaller, Nickolas; Cheney, Ann M.; Curran, Geoffrey M.; Booth, Brenda M.; Borders, Tyrone F.

2018-01-01

Background African Americans are incarcerated at rates much higher than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Objectives We sought to qualitatively explore the relationships between ongoing involvement in the criminal justice system and continued drug use in a population of urban and rural African American cocaine users in a southern state. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted among African American cocaine users in Arkansas between 2010 and 2012. Participants resided in both rural (two counties located in the eastern Arkansas Mississippi delta region) and urban (the county including the capital city of Little Rock) areas. Results Numerous important themes emerged from participants’ narratives, including chronic involvement with the criminal justice system (being a “career criminal”), continued access to drugs while incarcerated, relapse, and reincarceration and lack of access to effective drug treatment. Conclusion/Importance The themes which emerged from our data speak to the collective experience that many substance using populations in the United States face in dealing with the criminal justice system. Our findings highlight the need to better, more holistic ways of engaging African American substance users in community based substance use treatment and supportive services. PMID:27486889

Narcolepsy in African Americans.

PubMed

Kawai, Makoto; O'Hara, Ruth; Einen, Mali; Lin, Ling; Mignot, Emmanuel

2015-11-01

Although narcolepsy affects 0.02-0.05% of individuals in various ethnic groups, clinical presentation in different ethnicities has never been fully characterized. Our goal was to study phenotypic expression across ethnicities in the United States. Cases of narcolepsy from 1992 to 2013 were identified from searches of the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy Research database. International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition diagnosis criteria for type 1 and type 2 narcolepsy were used for inclusion, but subjects were separated as with and without cataplexy for the purpose of data presentation. Information extracted included demographics, ethnicity and clinical data, HLA-DQB1*06:02, polysomnography (PSG), multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) data, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypocretin-1 level. 182 African-Americans, 839 Caucasians, 35 Asians, and 41 Latinos with narcolepsy. Sex ratio, PSG, and MSLT findings did not differ across ethnicities. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score was higher and age of onset of sleepiness earlier in African Americans compared with other ethnicities. HLA-DQB1*06:02 positivity was higher in African Americans (91.0%) versus others (76.6% in Caucasians, 80.0% in Asians, and 65.0% in Latinos). CSF hypocretin-1 level, obtained in 222 patients, was more frequently low (≤ 110 pg/ml) in African Americans (93.9%) versus Caucasians (61.5%), Asians (85.7%) and Latinos (75.0%). In subjects with low CSF hypocretin-1, African Americans (28.3%) were 4.5 fold more likely to be without cataplexy when compared with Caucasians (8.1%). Narcolepsy in African Americans is characterized by earlier symptom onset, higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, higher HLA-DQB1*06:02 positivity, and low cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 level in the absence of cataplexy. In African Americans, more subjects without cataplexy have type 1 narcolepsy. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

High-Achieving, Low Socioeconomic Status African-American Males: A Comparative Perspective of Students at Three Urban High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randle, James P.

2012-01-01

A recent study by the Council of the Great City Schools reports that "the nation's young African-American males are in a state of crisis" and describes the situation as "a national catastrophe" (Lewis, Simon, Uzzell, Horwitz, & Casserly, 2010; Herbert, 2010). The report indicates that African-American males still lag…

A multimedia educational program that increases science achievement among inner-city non-Asian minority middle-school students.

PubMed

Murray, Nancy G; Opuni, Kwame A; Reininger, Belinda; Sessions, Nathalie; Mowry, Melanie M; Hobbs, Mary

2009-06-01

To test the effectiveness of a middle school, multimedia health sciences educational program called HEADS UP in non-Asian-minority (Hispanic and African American), inner-city students. The program designers hope to increase the number of these students entering the health sciences pipeline. The program includes video role-model stories featuring minority scientists and students, hands-on activities, and teacher resources. Collaborators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Spring Branch Independent School District, and the Health Museum developed the modules. From 2004 to 2007, the authors used a quasi-experimental, two-group pretest/posttest design to assess program effects on students' performance and interest in science, their science self-efficacy, their fear of science, and their science-related careers self-efficacy. An independent third party matched the intervention school to a comparison school by test scores, school demographics, and student demographics and then matched pairs of sixth-grade students (N = 428) by fifth-grade science scores, gender, ethnicity, and participation in the free or reduced lunch program. The authors collected data on these students for three years. At eighth grade (2007), the intervention school students scored significantly higher (F = 12.38, P < .001) on the Stanford Achievement Test 10 in science and reported higher interest in science (F = 11.08, P < .001) than their matched, comparison-school pairs. Students in neither group reported an increase in their confidence to choose a science-related career, but students in one high-implementing teacher's class reported decreased fear of science. HEADS UP shows potential for improving inner-city, non-Asian-minority middle school students' performance and interest in science.

African American Advanced Placement chemistry students and their developing study habits: A phenomenologically-based interpretive study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, Natalie D.

The academic achievement gap between African American and White students has gained much attention in recent years. Much has been written about the causes of and reasons for this problem ranging from the vestigial effects of slavery to poor parenting. Much less has been written or understood about its solution. While it is impossible for educators to change the pasts of their African American students, it is possible to effect change for the few minutes in which they are in direct contact with them each day. If African American science students are taught effective study skills and habits, then perhaps they might have the tools to close the achievement gap themselves. The participants in this phenomenologically based interpretive study were five African American Advanced Placement Chemistry students from an inner-city high school. Three in-depth interviews were conducted with each of the participants during the beginning, middle and end of a semester. The purpose of the interviews was to locate the students in terms of their thought processes, experiences and perceived barriers concerning the nature and practice of effective study and retention of chemistry content. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The texts were then analyzed for common themes. Five common themes emerged from the interviews. These were: (1) Homework vs. Study: a distinction between homework---which students knew how to approach; and study---which they did not. (2) Student Effort: their changing perception of adequate and effective study practices while in a rigorous course. (3) Teacher Rigor: they perceived high expectations and challenging work as a sign of respect from their teachers. (4) Parental Involvement: students' admission that they desired more input from parents regarding their academic performance. (5) Racial Considerations: their need to disprove negative stereotypes and their personal observations regarding racial differences in studying. A discussion of the themes and

Environmental Science for the Inner City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminski, Darrell L.

1969-01-01

Presents the objectives, activities, materials, and procedure of a six-week summer course in environmental science for inner-city students at the Horace Mann Junior High School, Omaha, Nebraska. Included in this program are studies of the wildlife, conservation, and natural science of the Eastern Nebraska region. (LC)

African American Therapists Working with African American Families: An Exploration of the Strengths Perspective in Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell-Tolliver, Laverne; Burgess, Ruby; Brock, Linda J.

2009-01-01

With the exception of Hill's (1971, 1999) work, historically much of the literature on African American families has focused more on pathology than strengths. This study used interviews with 30 African American psychotherapists, self-identified as employing a strengths perspective with African American families, to investigate which strengths they…

Investigating Instructional Practices of an African American Male Mathematics Teacher with Underachieving African American Male Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhammad, Rhonda K.

2012-01-01

This qualitative study examined the instructional practices of an experienced African American mathematics teacher to determine his perceived capabilities in augmenting academic proficiency for his African American male students. Provided in this descriptive case study are the lived experiences of an African American male teacher working to move…

Decreasing Discipline Referrals for African American Males in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Earl, Jr.; Ratchford, Vicky F.

2007-01-01

Brogden Middle School (BMS) is located approximately 15 miles south of Goldsboro, North Carolina, a city of approximately 40,000 citizens and the home of a military base. To decrease the number of discipline referrals of African American males, 10 students who had the most frequent discipline referrals during their seventh-grade year were…

Straight Talk: HIV Prevention for African-American Heterosexual Men: Theoretical Bases and Intervention Design

PubMed Central

Frye, Victoria; Bonner, Sebastian; Williams, Kim; Henny, Kirk; Bond, Keosha; Lucy, Debbie; Cupid, Malik; Smith, Stephen; Koblin, Beryl A.

2016-01-01

In the United States, racial disparities in HIV/AIDS are stark. Although African Americans comprise an estimated 14% of the U.S. population, they made up 52% of new HIV cases among adults and adolescents diagnosed in 2009. Heterosexual transmission is now the second leading cause of HIV in the United States. African Americans made up a full two-thirds of all heterosexually acquired HIV/AIDS cases between 2005 and 2008. Few demonstrated efficacious HIV prevention interventions designed specifically for adult, African-American heterosexual men exist. Here, we describe the process used to design a theory-based HIV prevention intervention to increase condom use, reduce concurrent partnering, and increase HIV testing among heterosexually active African-American men living in high HIV prevalence areas of New York City. The intervention integrated empowerment, social identity, and rational choices theories and focused on four major content areas: HIV/AIDS testing and education; condom skills training; key relational and behavioral turning points; and masculinity and fatherhood. PMID:23016501

Desirable Places: Spatial Representations and Educational Strategies in the Inner City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsson, Eric; Hultqvist, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

This article examines how the outcome of neoliberal educational reforms has affected urban schooling in the inner city of Stockholm--making it into a centralized nexus or a 'hot-spot' for students and schools. The aim is to analyse how geographical place and space have become major distinctive criteria in inner-city students' educational…

Predicting Non-African American Lesbian and Heterosexual Preadoptive Couples' Openness to Adopting an African American Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Abbie E.; Smith, JuliAnna Z.

2009-01-01

Despite increases in transracial adoption, African American children remain the least likely to be adopted. No research has examined the factors that predict prospective adopters' willingness to adopt an African American child. This study used multilevel modeling to examine predictors of willingness to adopt an African American child in a sample…

Factors influencing breast cancer screening in low-income African Americans in Tennessee.

PubMed

Patel, Kushal; Kanu, Mohamed; Liu, Jianguo; Bond, Brea; Brown, Elizabeth; Williams, Elizabeth; Theriot, Rosemary; Bailey, Stephanie; Sanderson, Maureen; Hargreaves, Margaret

2014-10-01

This study examined demographic and lifestyle factors that influenced decisions and obstacles to being screened for breast cancer in low-income African Americans in three urban Tennessee cities. As part of the Meharry Community Networks Program (CNP) needs assessment, a 123-item community survey was administered to assess demographic characteristics, health care access and utilization, and screening practices for various cancers in low-income African Americans. For this study, only African American women 40 years and older (n = 334) were selected from the Meharry CNP community survey database. There were several predictors of breast cancer screening such as marital status and having health insurance (P < .05). Additionally, there were associations between obstacles to screening and geographic region such as transportation and not having enough information about screenings (P < .05). Educational interventions aimed at improving breast cancer knowledge and screening rates should incorporate information about obstacles and predictors to screening.

Factors influencing Breast Cancer Screening in Low-Income African Americans in Tennessee

PubMed Central

Patel, Kushal; Kanu, Mohamed; Liu, Jianguo; Bond, Brea; Brown, Elizabeth; Williams, Elizabeth; Theriot, Rosemary; Bailey, Stephanie; Sanderson, Maureen; Hargreaves, Margaret

2014-01-01

This study examined demographic and lifestyle factors that influenced decisions and obstacles to being screened for breast cancer in low-income African Americans in three urban Tennessee cities. As part of the Meharry Community Networks Program (CNP) needs assessment, a 123-item community survey was administered to assess demographic characteristics, health care access and utilization, and screening practices for various cancers in low-income African Americans. For this study, only African American women 40 years and older (n=334) were selected from the Meharry CNP community survey database. There were several predictors of breast cancer screening such as marital status and having health insurance (P< .05). Additionally, there were associations between obstacles to screening and geographic region such as transportation and not having enough information about screenings (P< .05). Educational interventions aimed at improving breast cancer knowledge and screening rates should incorporate information about obstacles and predictors to screening. PMID:24554393

African American and Black Caribbean Feelings of Closeness to Africans

PubMed Central

Thornton, Michael C.; Taylor, Robert Joseph; Chatters, Linda M.; Forsythe-Brown, Ivy

2016-01-01

African American and Black Caribbean relations dominate research on interactions across black ethnic divides. Using National Survey of American Life data, we explore a different aspect of black interethnic attitudes: how close these groups feel toward Africans. African Americans and Black Caribbeans were largely similar in their feelings of closeness to Africans. For Black Caribbeans, younger and male respondents, those reporting higher levels of financial strain, living in the northeast and persons who immigrated to the United States at least 11 years ago, report feeling especially close to Africans. Being male was the only significant correlate among African Americans. The findings are discussed in relation to how race, ethnicity and national origin shape personal identities within the U.S. and their significance for intergroup perceptions. These broader issues warrant further consideration in light of assertions that race as a defining feature of American life and intergroup relations is obsolete. PMID:28943747

Indian-Americans. Grade Eight, Unit One, 8.1. Comprehensive Social Studies Curriculum for the Inner City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drews, Pearl

This eighth grade unit is one of a sequential learning series of the Focus on Inner City Social Studies (FICSS) project developed in accordance with needs and problems of an urban society. A description of the project is provided in SO 008 271. The basic purpose of this eighth grade curriculum is to study the contributions of various ethnic groups…

Understanding African American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Edward Earl

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the socialization skills, self-esteem, and academic readiness of African American males in a school environment. Discussions with students and the School Perceptions Questionnaire provided data for this investigation. The intended targets for this investigation were African American students; however, there…

Survival Disparity of African American Versus Non-African American Patients With ESRD Due to SLE.

PubMed

Nee, Robert; Martinez-Osorio, Jorge; Yuan, Christina M; Little, Dustin J; Watson, Maura A; Agodoa, Lawrence; Abbott, Kevin C

2015-10-01

A recent study showed an increased risk of death in African Americans compared with whites with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to lupus nephritis (LN). We assessed the impact of age stratification, socioeconomic factors, and kidney transplantation on the disparity in patient survival among African American versus non-African American patients with LN-caused ESRD, compared with other causes. Retrospective cohort study. Using the US Renal Data System database, we identified 12,352 patients with LN-caused ESRD among 1,132,202 patients who initiated maintenance dialysis therapy from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2006, and were followed up until December 31, 2010. Baseline demographics and comorbid conditions, Hispanic ethnicity, socioeconomic factors (employment status, Medicare/Medicaid insurance, and area-level median household income based on zip code as obtained from the 2000 US census), and kidney transplantation as a time-dependent variable. All-cause mortality. Multivariable Cox and competing-risk regressions. Mean duration of follow-up in the LN-caused ESRD and other-cause ESRD cohorts were 6.24±4.20 (SD) and 4.06±3.61 years, respectively. 6,106 patients with LN-caused ESRD (49.43%) and 853,762 patients with other-cause ESRD (76.24%) died during the study period (P<0.001). Patients with LN-caused ESRD were significantly younger (mean age, 39.92 years) and more likely women (81.65%) and African American (48.13%) than those with other-cause ESRD. In the fully adjusted multivariable Cox regression model, African American (vs non-African American) patients with LN-caused ESRD had significantly increased risk of death at age 18 to 30 years (adjusted HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.24-1.65) and at age 31 to 40 years (adjusted HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02-1.34). Among patients with other-cause ESRD, African Americans were at significantly increased risk at age 18 to 30 years (adjusted HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11-1.22). We used zip code-based median household income as a

African-American Sacred Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, A. Peter

1991-01-01

The history of African-American sacred music is traced from the time of slavery to the present interest in gospel music. The religious music of African Americans is geared toward liberation themes. It is important that this music does not dilute its power through cross-over with other music forms. (SLD)

Acknowledging adult bias: a focus-group approach to utilizing beauty salons as health-education portals for inner-city adolescent girls.

PubMed

Lieberman, Alexis; Harris, Diana

2007-04-01

To assess the feasibility of using beauticians as health literacy agents and beauty salons as health-education portals for adolescent, inner-city, African American girls, the authors conducted focus groups with 25 women: salon clients, salon owners, and medical students. Facilitators to program development included (a) beautician-client relationships, (b) teens' access to health information, and (c) beauticians as information resources. Barriers included (a) adult opinions of teen behaviors, (b) teen mistrust of adults, and (c) low health literacy of beauticians. In developing a health-education program for this population, beauticians and salons may be excellent health information agents and portals if barriers including beautician poor health literacy, adolescent mistrust in adults, and adults' anti-adolescent bias are improved. Program implementation must not solely focus on teens but should also include adult salon users, with the goal of reaching the teens first through these adults and, with time and trust, reaching the teens directly.

16 Extraordinary African Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lobb, Nancy

This collection for children tells the stories of 16 African Americans who helped make America what it is today. African Americans can take pride in the heritage of these contributors to society. Biographies are given for the following: (1) Sojourner Truth, preacher and abolitionist; (2) Frederick Douglass, abolitionist; (3) Harriet Tubman, leader…

Correlates of African American Men's Sexual Schemas

PubMed Central

Morales, Dawn A.; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera; St. Lawrence, Janet

2013-01-01

Sexual schemas are cognitive representations of oneself as a sexual being and aid in the processing of sexually relevant information. We examined the relationship between sociosexuality (attitudes about casual sex), masculine ideology (attitudes toward traditional men and male roles), and cultural centrality (strength of identity with racial group) as significant psychosocial and sociocultural predictors in shaping young, heterosexual African American men's sexual schemas. A community sample (n=133) of men in a southeastern city of the United States completed quantitative self-report measures examining their attitudes and behavior related to casual sex, beliefs about masculinity, racial and cultural identity, and self-views of various sexual aspects of themselves. Results indicated that masculine ideology and cultural centrality were both positively related to men's sexual schemas. Cultural centrality explained 12 % of the variance in level of sexual schema, and had the strongest correlation of the predictor variables with sexual schema (r=.36). The need for more attention to the bidirectional relationships between masculinity, racial/cultural identity, and sexual schemas in prevention, intervention, and public health efforts for African American men is discussed. PMID:24031118

Toddler Feeding: Expectations and Experiences of Low-Income African American Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horodynski, Mildred A.; Brophy-Herb, Holly; Henry, Michelle; Smith, Katharine A.; Weatherspoon, Lorraine

2009-01-01

Objective: To ascertain maternal expectations and experiences with mealtimes and feeding of toddlers among low-income African American mothers in two mid- to large-size cities in the United States. Design: Qualitative focus group study. Setting: Two Early Head Start programme sites in a Midwestern state which serve low income families. Method:…

Who Will Teach African American Youth?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Wali

Disparities between Whites and African Americans exist in many areas in U.S. society. These disparities are exacerbated by social ills, including the Persian Gulf conflict. Positive change on the part of African American educators is required to combat these problems. The following four postulates for teaching African American youth are provided:…

Learning Freedom: Education, Elevation, and New York's African-American Community, 1827-1829

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hines, Michael

2016-01-01

Even though the black community of antebellum New York City lived in a society that marginalized them socially and economically, they were intent on pursuing the basic privileges of American citizenship. One tactic African Americans employed to this end was the tenacious pursuit of education, which leaders believed would act both as an aid in…

Mechanisms of Vowel Variation in African American English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Yolanda Feimster

2018-01-01

Purpose: This research explored mechanisms of vowel variation in African American English by comparing 2 geographically distant groups of African American and White American English speakers for participation in the African American Shift and the Southern Vowel Shift. Method: Thirty-two male (African American: n = 16, White American controls: n =…

Neighborhood Poverty, Urban Residence, Race/ethnicity and Asthma: Rethinking the Inner-city Asthma Epidemic

PubMed Central

Keet, Corinne A.; McCormack, Meredith C.; Pollack, Craig E.; Peng, Roger D.; McGowan, Emily; Matsui, Elizabeth C.

2015-01-01

Background Although it is thought that inner-city areas have a high burden of asthma, the prevalence of asthma in inner-cities across the U.S. is not known. Objective To estimate the prevalence of current asthma in U.S. children living in inner-city and non-inner city areas, and to examine whether urban residence, poverty or race/ethnicity are the main drivers of asthma disparities. Methods The National Health Interview Survey 2009–2011 was linked by census tract to data from the U.S. Census and the National Center for Health Statistics. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, residence in an urban, suburban, medium metro or small metro/rural area, poverty, and birth outside the U.S. with current asthma and asthma morbidity as outcome variables. Inner-city areas were defined as urban areas with ≥20% of households below the poverty line. Results 23,065 children living in 5,853 census tracts were included. The prevalence of current asthma was 12.9% in inner-city and 10.6% in non-inner-city areas, but this difference was not significant after adjusting for race/ethnicity, region, age and sex. In fully adjusted models, Black race, Puerto Rican ethnicity and lower household income, but not residence in poor or urban areas, were independent risk factors for current asthma. Household poverty increased the risk of asthma among non-Hispanics and Puerto Ricans but not among other Hispanics. Associations with asthma morbidity were very similar to prevalent asthma. Conclusions Although the prevalence of asthma is high in some inner-city areas, this is largely explained by demographic factors and not by living in an urban neighborhood. PMID:25617226

Sexual protective strategies and condom use in middle-age African American women: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Smith, Tanyka K.

2015-01-01

The heterosexual transmission of HIV has affected middle-age African American women at alarming rates; yet there is a paucity of research and interventions focused on this population. This study used a qualitative approach to understand middle-age urban African American women’s experiences with HIV-related sexual risk behaviors and to identify the sexual protective strategies they employed to reduce their risk for HIV infection. Ten African American women, ages 45 to 56, were recruited from low-income neighborhoods in New York City. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Investigator triangulation and member checking were used to ensure rigor. Five salient themes emerged that highlighted the individual, gender/relationship power factors, and the sociocultural elements that influenced sexual protection or risk-taking behavior. Findings provide new insight into the complexities of HIV sexual risk behavior and can guide future HIV prevention interventions for middle-age, African American, urban women. PMID:26194973

Developing a Cancer Prevention Programme for African-American Daughters and Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annang, Lucy; Spencer, S. Melinda; Jackson, Dawnyéa; Rosemond, Tiara N.; Best, Alicia L.; Williams, Leah R.; Carlos, Bethany

2015-01-01

Objective: To describe how nominal group technique was used to inform the development of a breast and cervical cancer awareness programme for African-American adult daughters and mothers. Design: A qualitative approach using nominal group technique. Setting: A mid-sized city in the Southern USA. Method: Nominal group technique was used with 30…

A White Veneer: Education Policy, Space and "Race" in the Inner City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulson, Kalervo

2006-01-01

This paper explores how neo-liberal education policy change and urban renewal in inner Sydney and London has interacted with "raced" and classed educational identities. I draw on two examples of policy change, the "Building the Future" policy development in the inner city area of Sydney and the "Excellence in Cities"…

Deteriorated housing contributes to high cockroach allergen levels in inner-city households.

PubMed Central

Rauh, Virginia A; Chew, Ginger R; Garfinkel, Robin S

2002-01-01

The high prevalence of childhood asthma in low-income, inner-city populations is not fully understood but has been at least partly attributed to the disproportionate exposures associated with socioeconomic disadvantage. The contribution of indoor allergens to asthma is well documented, but links between socioeconomic disadvantage and indoor allergen levels are not clear. We investigated levels of cockroach allergens (Bla g 2) in a sample of 132 Dominican or African American low-income households with young children in northern Manhattan in New York City (40% were receiving public assistance) to determine whether the distribution of allergens is a function of housing deterioration. Deterioration was measured by the presence and number of physical housing problems (holes in the ceilings and walls, water damage, etc.). More than 50% of the sample had two or more types of housing dilapidation, and 67% of the sample reported cockroach sightings in their homes. Samples of dust were collected from kitchen and bedroom surfaces. We hypothesized that the greater the dilapidation, the higher the allergen levels, independent of income, sociocultural factors, and pest-control methods. In addition, we hypothesized that the homes of families characterized by frequent moves (23.5%) would have higher allergen levels than more stable families. Results showed significant positive associations between housing deterioration and allergen levels in kitchens, after adjusting for income and ethnicity, with independent effects of residential stability (p< 0.05). Bedroom allergen levels were associated with housing instability (p < 0.01) and ethnicity (p< 0.01). Findings demonstrated that indoor household allergen levels are related to degree of household disrepair, after adjusting for individual family attributes, suggesting that social-structural aspects of housing may be appropriate targets for public health interventions designed to reduce allergen exposure. PMID:11929744

African-American Academic Nurse Leader's Role in Persistence of African-American Baccalaureate Nursing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Kesha Marie

2017-01-01

African-American baccalaureate nursing students have a limited persistence to graduation. This constructivist grounded theory study was designed to generate a substantive theory, emerged from these data, that explained and provided insight the African-American academic nurse leader's role in the persistence to graduation of African-American…

Predicting discordance between self-reports of sexual behavior and incident sexually transmitted infections with African American female adolescents: results from a 4-city study.

PubMed

Brown, Jennifer L; Sales, Jessica M; DiClemente, Ralph J; Salazar, Laura F; Vanable, Peter A; Carey, Michael P; Brown, Larry K; Romer, Daniel; Valois, Robert F; Stanton, Bonita

2012-08-01

This study examined correlates of the discordance between sexual behavior self-reports and Incident Sexually Transmitted Infections. African American adolescent females (N = 964) from four U.S. cities were recruited for an HIV/STI prevention trial. Self-reported sexual behaviors, demographics, and hypothesized psychosocial antecedents of sexual risk behavior were collected at baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up assessments. Urine specimens were collected and tested for three prevalent STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas) at each assessment. Seventeen percent of participants with a laboratory-confirmed STI reported either lifetime abstinence or recent abstinence from vaginal sex (discordant self-report). Lower STI knowledge, belief that fewer peers were engaging in sex, and belief that more peers will wait until marriage to have sex were associated with discordant reports. Discordance between self-reported abstinence and incident STIs was marked among African American female adolescents. Lack of STI knowledge and sexual behavior peer norms may result in underreporting of sexual behaviors.

Predicting Discordance Between Self-reports of Sexual Behavior and Incident Sexually Transmitted Infections with African American Female Adolescents: Results from a 4-city Study

PubMed Central

Sales, Jessica M.; DiClemente, Ralph J.; Salazar, Laura F.; Vanable, Peter A.; Carey, Michael P.; Brown, Larry K.; Romer, Daniel; Valois, Robert F.; Stanton, Bonita

2012-01-01

This study examined correlates of the discordance between sexual behavior self-reports and Incident Sexually Transmitted Infections. African American adolescent females (N = 964) from four U.S. cities were recruited for an HIV/STI prevention trial. Self-reported sexual behaviors, demographics, and hypothesized psychosocial antecedents of sexual risk behavior were collected at baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up assessments. Urine specimens were collected and tested for three prevalent STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas) at each assessment. Seventeen percent of participants with a laboratory-confirmed STI reported either lifetime abstinence or recent abstinence from vaginal sex (discordant self-report). Lower STI knowledge, belief that fewer peers were engaging in sex, and belief that more peers will wait until marriage to have sex were associated with discordant reports. Discordance between self-reported abstinence and incident STIs was marked among African American female adolescents. Lack of STI knowledge and sexual behavior peer norms may result in underreporting of sexual behaviors. PMID:22323006

African American cancer patients' pain experience.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Lim, Hyun-Ju; Clark, Maresha; Chee, Wonshik

2008-01-01

Although very little is known about African American cancer patients' pain experience, a few studies have indicated that their cancer pain experience is unique and somewhat different from that of other ethnic groups. The purpose of the study reported in this article was to explore African American cancer patients' pain experience using an online forum. This study was a qualitative online forum designed from a feminist perspective and conducted among 11 African American cancer patients who were recruited through both Internet and real settings. Nine online forum topics were used to administer the 6-month online forum, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged through the data analysis process. First, participants viewed cancer as a challenge in life that they should fight against. Second, cancer pain was differentiated from ordinary pain because cancer was stigmatized in their culture. Third, participants viewed that African Americans, especially women, were culturally raised to be strong, and this African American cultural heritage inhibited cancer patients from expressing pain and seeking help for pain management. Finally, the findings indicated certain changes in perspectives among African American cancer patients during the disease process, which might make them tolerate pain through praying to God and reading the Bible. Based on the findings, we suggest further studies among diverse groups of African American cancer patients, with a focus on cultural attitudes toward cancer pain and influences of family on cancer pain experience.

Can Faith and Hospice Coexist: Is the African American Church the Key to Increased Hospice Utilization for African Americans?

PubMed

Townsend, Apollo; March, Alice L; Kimball, Jan

2017-01-01

African Americans are twice as likely as Caucasian Americans to choose aggressive hospital treatment when death is imminent. Repeat hospitalizations are traumatic for patients and drain patient and health system resources. Hospice care is a specialized alternative that vastly improves patient quality of life at end-of-life. This study was conducted to determine if hospices partnering with African American churches to disseminate hospice education materials could increase utilization of hospice services by African Americans. Members of two African American churches (N = 34) participated in focus group discussions to elicit beliefs about hospice care. Focus group transcripts were coded and comments were grouped according to theme. Six themes were identified. Lack of knowledge about hospice services and spiritual beliefs emerged as the top two contributing factors for underutilization of hospice services. Study findings support partnerships between hospices and African American churches to provide hospice education to the African American community. © The Author(s) 2015.

African American Pastors' Beliefs and Actions Regarding Childhood Incest in the African American Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Tesia Denis

2012-01-01

This quantitative study sought to explore African American pastors' beliefs and actions regarding childhood incest in the African American community and their decisions to inform the proper authorities. This exploratory study was developed in order to draw both public and academic attention to the understudied phenomenon of childhood incest within…

Drama, Media Advertising, and Inner-City Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Diane

2002-01-01

Describes a reflective practice case study which involved creating and delivering a unit integrating drama, media literacy, and media production with a focus on advertising for a group of students at an alternative inner-city high school. Proposes this strategy may assist others in studies and teaching practice. (PM)

Correlates of aggression in African American and Puerto Rican children.

PubMed

Brook, Judith S; Rosenberg, Gary; Brook, David W; Balka, Elinor B; Meade, Michael

2004-06-01

The authors examined a cross-sectional interrelationship of psychosocial domains as they relate to aggression in a group of African American and English-speaking Puerto Rican children living in New York City. The population included 80 biological children of African American and Puerto Rican young adults who had been participating in the authors' ongoing longitudinal study, and 77 mothers or mother substitutes (rearing mothers) of those children. The authors performed hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that (a) the child's personality and maternal attributes were significantly related to the child's aggression, despite control on all of the other domains and (b) the ethnic identification and discrimination domain was no longer related to the child's aggression with control on the mother-child relationship domain or on the child's personality domain. The findings have implications for clinical practice and public policy.

What’s God got to do with it? Engaging African American faith-based institutions in HIV prevention

PubMed Central

Nunn, Amy; Cornwall, Alexandra; Thomas, Gladys; Waller, Pastor Alyn; Friend, Rafiyq; Broadnax, Pastor Jay; Flanigan, Timothy

2013-01-01

African Americans are disproportionately infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Although faith-based institutions play critical leadership roles in the African American community, the faith-based response to HIV/AIDS has historically been lacking. We explore recent successful strategies of a citywide HIV/AIDS awareness and testing campaign developed in partnership with 40 African American faith-based institutions in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a city with some of the United State’s highest HIV infection rates. Drawing on important lessons from the campaign and subsequent efforts to sustain the campaign’s momentum with a citywide HIV testing, treatment and awareness program, we provide a roadmap for engaging African American faith communities in HIV prevention that include partnering with faith leaders; engaging the media to raise awareness, destigmatising HIV/AIDS and encouraging HIV testing; and conducting educational and HIV testing events at houses of worship. African American faith based institutions have a critical role to play in raising awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and for reducing racial disparities in HIV infection. PMID:23379422

Defense.gov Special Report: African-American History Month

Science.gov Websites

Department of Defense Submit Search African-American History Month: At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality Links Air Force African-American History Month Special Report Naval History and Heritage Command , African American Navy Experience 2013 African American/Black History Month Tri-signed Letter Presidential

Relative Spousal Earnings and Marital Happiness among African American and White Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furdyna, Holly E.; Tucker, M. Belinda; James, Angela D.

2008-01-01

The distinctive economic histories of African American and White wives suggest that involvement in household income production holds contextually situated unique meanings for these groups. Yet research has not addressed racial differences in the effects of relative earnings on marital well-being. Surveying 431 employed wives in 21 U.S. cities, we…

Some African American Males' Perspectives on the Black Woman.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrow, Rufus, Jr.

1992-01-01

Presents views of Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. Du Bois, Malcolm X, and James Hal Cone (African-American male leaders) toward African-American women in the United States. Discusses the role of African-American men in addressing and eradicating sexism in African-American churches and the African-American community. (SLD)

Understanding the Strengths of African American Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Littlejohn-Blake, Sheila M.; Darling, Carol Anderson

1993-01-01

Focuses on strengths of African-American families and how they function, relevant conceptual approaches, and trends and issues in studying African-American families that can facilitate understanding. A shift from studying dysfunctional families to more positive aspects can help African-American families meet societal challenges. (SLD)

Engaging African Americans in Smoking Cessation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallen, Jacqueline; Randolph, Suzanne; Carter-Pokras, Olivia; Feldman, Robert; Kanamori-Nishimura, Mariano

2014-01-01

Background: African Americans are disproportionately exposed to and targeted by prosmoking advertisements, particularly menthol cigarette ads. Though African Americans begin smoking later than whites, they are less likely to quit smoking than whites. Purpose: This study was designed to explore African American smoking cessation attitudes,…

Cardiovascular Health in African Americans: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Carnethon, Mercedes R; Pu, Jia; Howard, George; Albert, Michelle A; Anderson, Cheryl A M; Bertoni, Alain G; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Palaniappan, Latha; Taylor, Herman A; Willis, Monte; Yancy, Clyde W

2017-11-21

Population-wide reductions in cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality have not been shared equally by African Americans. The burden of cardiovascular disease in the African American community remains high and is a primary cause of disparities in life expectancy between African Americans and whites. The objectives of the present scientific statement are to describe cardiovascular health in African Americans and to highlight unique considerations for disease prevention and management. The primary sources of information were identified with PubMed/Medline and online sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (eg, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk) underlies the relatively earlier age of onset of cardiovascular diseases among African Americans. Hypertension in particular is highly prevalent among African Americans and contributes directly to the notable disparities in stroke, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease among African Americans. Despite the availability of effective pharmacotherapies and indications for some tailored pharmacotherapies for African Americans (eg, heart failure medications), disease management is less effective among African Americans, yielding higher mortality. Explanations for these persistent disparities in cardiovascular disease are multifactorial and span from the individual level to the social environment. The strategies needed to promote equity in the cardiovascular health of African Americans require input from a broad set of stakeholders, including clinicians and researchers from across multiple disciplines. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Career Beliefs of Inner-City Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Sherri L.; Ziebell, Julia L. Conkel

2011-01-01

This research explored the career beliefs of inner-city adolescents (N = 97). Results identified six types of beliefs: success is related to effort, job satisfaction, work interest and liking, flexibility/adaptability, achievement and persistence, and toleration of uncertainty. A majority of these young people believed that their success was not…

The Genetic Structure and History of Africans and African Americans

PubMed Central

Tishkoff, Sarah A.; Reed, Floyd A.; Friedlaender, Françoise R.; Ehret, Christopher; Ranciaro, Alessia; Froment, Alain; Hirbo, Jibril B.; Awomoyi, Agnes A.; Bodo, Jean-Marie; Doumbo, Ogobara; Ibrahim, Muntaser; Juma, Abdalla T.; Kotze, Maritha J.; Lema, Godfrey; Moore, Jason H.; Mortensen, Holly; Nyambo, Thomas B.; Omar, Sabah A.; Powell, Kweli; Pretorius, Gideon S.; Smith, Michael W.; Thera, Mahamadou A.; Wambebe, Charles; Weber, James L.; Williams, Scott M.

2010-01-01

Africa is the source of all modern humans, but characterization of genetic variation and of relationships among populations across the continent has been enigmatic. We studied 121 African populations, four African American populations, and 60 non-African populations for patterns of variation at 1327 nuclear microsatellite and insertion/deletion markers. We identified 14 ancestral population clusters in Africa that correlate with self-described ethnicity and shared cultural and/or linguistic properties. We observed high levels of mixed ancestry in most populations, reflecting historical migration events across the continent. Our data also provide evidence for shared ancestry among geographically diverse hunter-gatherer populations (Khoesan speakers and Pygmies). The ancestry of African Americans is predominantly from Niger-Kordofanian (~71%), European (~13%), and other African (~8%) populations, although admixture levels varied considerably among individuals. This study helps tease apart the complex evolutionary history of Africans and African Americans, aiding both anthropological and genetic epidemiologic studies. PMID:19407144

Attitudes of Parents and Teachers toward Improving Academic Achievement in Inner-City Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twillie, Less Doll; And Others

This monograph studies the relationship between parental attitudes and student achievement in inner-city schools, and compares parental and teacher attitudes regarding parental involvement in elementary education. Seventy-one teachers from two inner-city elementary schools in Memphis (Tennessee) and 30 parents of students from one school responded…

Cancer statistics for African Americans, 2013.

PubMed

DeSantis, Carol; Naishadham, Deepa; Jemal, Ahmedin

2013-05-01

In this article, the American Cancer Society estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths for African Americans and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, survival, and screening prevalence based upon incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. It is estimated that 176,620 new cases of cancer and 64,880 deaths will occur among African Americans in 2013. From 2000 to 2009, the overall cancer death rate among males declined faster among African Americans than whites (2.4% vs 1.7% per year), but among females, the rate of decline was similar (1.5% vs 1.4% per year, respectively). The decrease in cancer death rates among African American males was the largest of any racial or ethnic group. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of nearly 200,000 deaths from cancer among African Americans. Five-year relative survival is lower for African Americans than whites for most cancers at each stage of diagnosis. The extent to which these disparities reflect unequal access to health care versus other factors remains an active area of research. Overall, progress in reducing cancer death rates has been made, although more can and should be done to accelerate this progress through ensuring equitable access to cancer prevention, early detection, and state-of-the-art treatments. Copyright © 2013 American Cancer Society, Inc.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTRESS TOLERANCE AND ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER AMONG MALE INNER-CITY TREATMENT SEEKING SUBSTANCE USERS

PubMed Central

Daughters, Stacey B.; Sargeant, Marsha N.; Bornovalova, Marina A.; Gratz, Kim L.; Lejuez, C. W.

2014-01-01

There is currently limited research on the potential mechanisms underlying the development of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). One such mechanism, distress tolerance (defined as an individual’s behavioral persistence in the face of emotional distress) may underlie the development of ASPD and its associated behavioral difficulties. It was hypothesized that substance users with ASPD would evidence significantly lower levels of distress tolerance than substance users without ASPD. To test this relationship, we assessed 127 inner-city males receiving residential substance abuse treatment with two computerized laboratory measures of distress tolerance. The mean age of the sample was 40.1 years (SD = 9.8) and 88.2% were African American. As expected, multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that distress intolerance significantly predicted the presence of an ASPD diagnosis, above and beyond key covariates including substance use frequency and associated Axis I and II psychopathology. Findings suggest that distress tolerance may be a key factor in understanding the development of ASPD, setting the stage for future studies expanding on the nature of this relationship, as well as the development of appropriate interventions for this at-risk group. PMID:18834298

Asthma in inner city children: recent insights: United States.

PubMed

Dutmer, Cullen M; Kim, Haejin; Searing, Daniel A; Zoratti, Edward M; Liu, Andrew H

2018-04-01

Children living in US inner cities experience disparate burdens of asthma, especially in severity, impairment, exacerbations, and morbidity. Investigations seeking to better understand the factors and mechanisms underlying asthma prevalence, severity, and exacerbation in children living in these communities can lead to interventions that can narrow asthma disparities and potentially benefit all children with asthma. This update will focus on recent (i.e. late 2016-2017) advances in the understanding of asthma in US inner city children. Studies published in the past year expand understanding of asthma prevalence, severity, exacerbation, and the outcomes of guidelines-based management of these at-risk children, including: asthma phenotypes in US inner city children that are severe and difficult-to-control; key environmental determinants and mechanisms underlying asthma severity and exacerbations (e.g. allergy-mediated exacerbation susceptibility to rhinovirus); the importance of schools as a place for provocative exposures (e.g. mouse allergen, nitrogen dioxide) as well as a place where asthma care and outcomes can be improved; and the development and validation of clinically useful indices for gauging asthma severity and predicting exacerbations. These recent studies provide a trove of actionable findings that can improve asthma care and outcomes for these at-risk children.

Defense.gov Special Report: African-American History Month 2014

Science.gov Websites

Department of Defense Submit Search African-American History Month: Civil Rights in America - February 2014 Proclamation African-American Firsts in U.S. Naval History DEOMI 2014 African American/Black History Month Poster African-American History at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force African-Americans and the U.S

A Mid-South Perspective: African American Faith-based Organizations, HIV, and Stigma.

PubMed

Otey, Tamara D; Miller, Wendy Renee

2016-01-01

Shelby County, Tennessee has the fastest growing rate of HIV infection in the state, and the majority of new infections are in African Americans. In 2011, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report stated that Memphis (the largest city in Shelby County) ranked seventh highest in new HIV infections. Little research has addressed HIV-related themes in African American culture that could hinder HIV prevention measures. Our qualitative study engaged African American, faith-based leaders in areas with high rates of HIV in meaningful conversations regarding their attitudes toward HIV and those who are infected. Although faith-based leaders felt they had a role in HIV prevention, only 4% in our study had participated in HIV prevention activities, but they were open to HIV prevention programs. We found that faith-based leaders had limited knowledge of health disparities and ongoing stigma concerning HIV, which served as a major barrier to HIV prevention. Copyright © 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Framingham Heart Study and CHARGE-AF Risk Scores for Atrial Fibrillation in Hispanics, African-Americans, and Non-Hispanic Whites.

PubMed

Shulman, Eric; Kargoli, Faraj; Aagaard, Philip; Hoch, Ethan; Di Biase, Luigi; Fisher, John; Gross, Jay; Kim, Soo; Krumerman, Andrew; Ferrick, Kevin J

2016-01-01

A risk score for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been developed by the Framingham Heart Study and Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE)-AF consortium. However, validation of these risk scores in an inner-city population is uncertain. Thus, a validation model was built using the Framingham Risk Score for AF and CHARGE-AF covariates. An in and outpatient electrocardiographic database was interrogated from 2000 to 2013 for the development of AF. Patients were included if their age was >45 and <95 years, had <10-year follow-up, if their initial electrocardiogram was without AF, had ≥ 2 electrocardiograms, and declared a race and/or ethnicity as non-Hispanic white, African-American, or Hispanic. For the Framingham Heart Study, 49,599 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 4,860 developed AF. Discrimination analysis using area under the curve (AUC) for original risk equations: non-Hispanic white AUC = 0.712 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.694 to 0.731), African-American AUC = 0.733 (95% CI 0.716 to 0.751), and Hispanic AUC = 0.740 (95% CI 0.723 to 0.757). For the CHARGE-AF, 45,571 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 4,512 developed AF. Non-Hispanic white AUC = 0.673 (95% CI 0.652 to 0.694), African-American AUC = 0.706 (95% CI 0.685 to 0.727), and Hispanic AUC = 0.711 (95% CI 0.691 to 0.732). Calibration analysis showed qualitative similarities between cohorts. In conclusion, this is the first study to validate both the Framingham Heart Study and CHARGE-AF risk scores in both a Hispanic and African-American cohort. All models predicted AF well across all race and ethnic cohorts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Help-Seeking Experiences and Attitudes among African American, Asian American, and European American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masuda, Akihiko; Anderson, Page L.; Twohig, Michael P.; Feinstein, Amanda B.; Chou, Ying-Yi; Wendell, Johanna W.; Stormo, Analia R.

2009-01-01

The study examined African American, Asian American, and European American college students' previous direct and indirect experiences of seeking professional psychological services and related attitudes. Survey data were collected from 254 European American, 182 African American and 82 Asian American college students. Results revealed that fewer…

Freedom Road: Adult Education of African Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Elizabeth A., Ed.

This book contains six chapters by various authors about the history of African Americans' contributions and participation in adult education. The book reports on how some African American leaders saw the connection between education and the eventual freedom or uplift of the African American people. Following a foreword (Phyllis M. Cunningham) and…

African American Teaching and the Matriarchal Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffries, Rhonda Baynes

This paper discusses the role of matriarchs in African-American culture, explaining that traditionally, African-American matriarchs arise from a combination of African norms and American social positions that naturally forces them to assume leadership conditions. The roles these women assume are a response to the desire to survive in a society…

Loss of Trust in the Neighborhood: The Experience of Older African Americans in Detroit.

PubMed

Fritz, Heather; Cutchin, Malcolm P; Cummins, Emily R

2018-02-19

Although evidence suggests that neighborhood conditions are related to stress and health, the processes connecting neighborhood conditions and stress for older minorities is little explored. The purpose of this analysis is to contribute new insights into this issue. We conducted a qualitative analysis as part of a larger mixed methods study of 100 African Americans aged 55 and older living in neighborhoods of varying quality in Detroit, Michigan. A subsample of (n = 20) older adults took photographs of bothersome aspects of their neighborhoods and participated in in-depth photo-elicitation interviews. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. 'Loss of trust in the neighborhood' emerged as the core category to explain how older African Americans in our sample experienced neighborhood stressors in their daily lives. Loss of trust in physical, social, and institutional dimensions of the neighborhood contributed to the core category. The life course of neighborhoods and the trust placed in them appears to be intimately connected to the well-being of older African Americans. We therefore hypothesize that a fundamental pathway through which neighborhood stressors are experienced for older African Americans in U.S. 'Rust Belt' cities is the multifaceted loss of trust in the neighborhood.

The Influence of Organizational Leadership on "Minority" Student Success in Inner City Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peay, Yolanda S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore, discover, and understand organizational leadership processes in successful inner city schools. In order to understand the phenomenon taking place in inner city schools that were able to overcome the many challenges present in urban school settings and increase the likelihood of success in ethnic student…

Long QT syndrome in African-Americans.

PubMed

Fugate, Thomas; Moss, Arthur J; Jons, Christian; McNitt, Scott; Mullally, Jamie; Ouellet, Gregory; Goldenberg, Ilan; Zareba, Wojciech; Robinson, Jennifer L

2010-01-01

We evaluated the risk factors and clinical course of Long QT syndrome (LQTS) in African-American patients. The study involved 41 African-Americans and 3456 Caucasians with a QTc > or = 450 ms from the U.S. portion of the International LQTS Registry. Data included information about the medical history and clinical course of the LQTS patients with end points relating to the occurrence of syncope, aborted cardiac arrest, or LQTS-related sudden cardiac death from birth through age 40 years. The statistical analyses involved Kaplan-Meier time to event graphs and Cox regression models for multivariable risk factor evaluation. The QTc was 29 ms longer in African-Americans than Caucasians. Multivarite Cox analyses with adjustment for decade of birth revealed that the cardiac event rate was similar in African-Americans and Caucasians with LQTS and that beta-blockers were equally effective in reducing cardiac events in the two racial groups. The clinical course of LQTS in African-Americans is similar to that of Caucasians with comparable risk factors and benefit from beta-blocker therapy in the two racial groups.

KSC kicks off African-American History Month

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Clothed in her traditional African garb, Michelle Amos, mistress of ceremonies, welcomes the audience on Feb. 3 at the kick-off of African-American History Month. The theme for this year's observation is 'Heritage and Horizons: The African-American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century.' February is designated each year as a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans to Kennedy Space Center, NASA and the nation.

African Americans and High Blood Pressure

MedlinePlus

ANSWERS by heart Lifestyle + Risk Reduction High Blood Pressure What About African Americans and High Blood Pressure? African Americans in the U.S. have a higher prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) ...

African-American Males' Health Perceptions and Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeal, CoSandra; Perkins, Isaac; Lyons, Shenia

2006-01-01

Research on African American men's health is limited. Perception and knowledge of health may have a significant effect on health seeking behavior and self care. This study was designed to examine factors that may influence health perception and knowledge among African American males. This is a cross-sectional study of 343 African American males…

Increasing Reading Engagement in African American Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husband, Terry

2014-01-01

Much has been written concerning the challenges many teachers face in engaging African American males in reading practices. While much of this extant scholarship focuses on African American males at the pre-adolescent stage of development and beyond, little has been written regarding increasing reading engagement in African American boys in P-5…

Community leaders' perspectives on engaging African Americans in biobanks and other human genetics initiatives.

PubMed

Buseh, Aaron G; Stevens, Patricia E; Millon-Underwood, Sandra; Townsend, Leolia; Kelber, Sheryl T

2013-10-01

There is limited information about what African Americans think about biobanks and the ethical questions surrounding them. Likewise, there is a gap in capacity to successfully enroll African Americans as biobank donors. The purposes of this community-based participatory study were to: (a) explore African Americans' perspectives on genetics/genomic research, (b) understand facilitators and barriers to participation in such studies, and (c) enlist their ideas about how to attract and sustain engagement of African Americans in genetics initiatives. As the first phase in a mixed methods study, we conducted four focus groups with 21 African American community leaders in one US Midwest city. The sample consisted of executive directors of community organizations and prominent community activists. Data were analyzed thematically. Skepticism about biomedical research and lack of trust characterized discussions about biomedical research and biobanks. The Tuskegee Untreated Syphilis Study and the Henrietta Lacks case influenced their desire to protect their community from harm and exploitation. Connections between genetics and family history made genetics/genomics research personal, pitting intrusion into private affairs against solutions. Participants also expressed concerns about ethical issues involved in genomics research, calling attention to how research had previously been conducted in their community. Participants hoped personalized medicine might bring health benefits to their people and proposed African American communities have a "seat at the table." They called for basic respect, authentic collaboration, bidirectional education, transparency and prerogative, and meaningful benefits and remuneration. Key to building trust and overcoming African Americans' trepidation and resistance to participation in biobanks are early and persistent engagement with the community, partnerships with community stakeholders to map research priorities, ethical conduct of research, and

The Great Migration and African-American Genomic Diversity

PubMed Central

Barakatt, Maxime; Gignoux, Christopher R.; Errington, Jacob; Blot, William J.; Bustamante, Carlos D.; Kenny, Eimear E.; Williams, Scott M.; Aldrich, Melinda C.; Gravel, Simon

2016-01-01

We present a comprehensive assessment of genomic diversity in the African-American population by studying three genotyped cohorts comprising 3,726 African-Americans from across the United States that provide a representative description of the population across all US states and socioeconomic status. An estimated 82.1% of ancestors to African-Americans lived in Africa prior to the advent of transatlantic travel, 16.7% in Europe, and 1.2% in the Americas, with increased African ancestry in the southern United States compared to the North and West. Combining demographic models of ancestry and those of relatedness suggests that admixture occurred predominantly in the South prior to the Civil War and that ancestry-biased migration is responsible for regional differences in ancestry. We find that recent migrations also caused a strong increase in genetic relatedness among geographically distant African-Americans. Long-range relatedness among African-Americans and between African-Americans and European-Americans thus track north- and west-bound migration routes followed during the Great Migration of the twentieth century. By contrast, short-range relatedness patterns suggest comparable mobility of ∼15–16km per generation for African-Americans and European-Americans, as estimated using a novel analytical model of isolation-by-distance. PMID:27232753

Elder Abuse among African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tauriac, Jesse J.; Scruggs, Natoschia

2006-01-01

Perceptions of extreme, moderate, and mild forms of elder abuse among African-American women (n=25) and men (n=10) were examined. African-American respondents emphasized physical abuse when giving examples of extremely abusive behavior. Along with physical abuse, verbal abuse was the most frequently identified form of abuse, and was significantly…

Inner-City Energy and Environmental Education Consortium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-06-11

The numbers of individuals with adequate education and training to participate effectively in the highly technical aspects of environmental site cleanup are insufficient to meet the increasing demands of industry and government. Young people are particularly sensitive to these issues and want to become better equipped to solve the problems which will confront them during their lives. Educational institutions, on the other hand, have been slow in offering courses and curricula which will allow students to fulfill these interests. This has been in part due to the lack of federal funding to support new academic programs. This Consortium has beenmore » organized to initiate focused educational effort to reach inner-city youth with interesting and useful energy and environmental programs which can lead to well-paying and satisfying careers. Successful Consortium programs can be replicated in other parts of the nation. This report describes a pilot program in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Baltimore with the goal to attract and retain inner-city youth to pursue careers in energy-related scientific and technical areas, environmental restoration, and waste management.« less

Political Mothering: Latina and African American Mothers in the Struggle for Educational Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuentes, Emma

2013-01-01

This article explores the process and impact of women organizing for educational justice in Northern California by documenting the efforts of a committed group of mothers who sought to address the disproportionate underachievement of Latino and African American students within their city's high school. Using a combined methodology of ethnography…

African American Educational Leadership in the School Superintendency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Eva C.

2013-01-01

African American educational leadership has long been part of American education and African American activism to resist oppression. However, the field of educational leadership has rarely included the contributions of African American leaders, particularly women leaders, into mainstream leadership theory and practices. This omission is difficult…

Why Catholic Schools Spell Success for America's Inner-City Children. Backgrounder No. 1128.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shokraii, Nina H.

Catholic schools have had astonishing success in working with inner-city children. Recent research has confirmed that the performance of students in Catholic schools surpasses that of urban public school students, usually at lower cost. A recent survey also indicated that 83% of public school parents and 82% of inner-city poor parents want…

The myth of meritocracy and African American health.

PubMed

Kwate, Naa Oyo A; Meyer, Ilan H

2010-10-01

Recent theoretical and empirical studies of the social determinants of health inequities have shown that economic deprivation, multiple levels of racism, and neighborhood context limit African American health chances and that African Americans' poor health status is predicated on unequal opportunity to achieve the American Dream. President Obama's election has been touted as a demonstration of American meritocracy-the belief that all may obtain the American Dream-and has instilled hope in African Americans. However, we argue that in the context of racism and other barriers to success, meritocratic ideology may act as a negative health determinant for African Americans.

Clinical utility of the Rorschach with African Americans.

PubMed

Presley, G; Smith, C; Hilsenroth, M; Exner, J

2001-12-01

In this study we sought to identify Rorschach differences between African Americans and White Americans and to understand these differences within a social and cultural framework. Data from the Exner (1993) Comprehensive System normative sample (N = 700) was used to form a group of 44 African Americans and 44 White Americans matched for age, sex, education, and socioeconomic status. Twenty-three Rorschach variables were chosen a priori and group differences were analyzed. The only clinically significant difference found was that African Americans offered significantly less cooperative movement. This lower frequency of cooperative movement may suggest African Americans do not anticipate cooperative interactions with others as a routine event. This may reflect a shared feeling among African Americans that most members of our society are less likely to be sensitive to or responsive to their needs relative to others. However, the study demonstrates a striking similarity between the groups, supporting the clinical use of the Rorschach with African Americans.

Long-Term Breastfeeding in African American Mothers.

PubMed

Gross, Tyra Toston; Davis, Marsha; Anderson, Alex K; Hall, Jori; Hilyard, Karen

2017-02-01

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 39.1% of African American infants are breastfed at 6 months. However, few studies have explored the breastfeeding experiences of African American women who successfully breastfeed to 6 months or longer durations. Research aim: The goal of this qualitative study was to explore the long-term breastfeeding experiences of low-income African American women using the positive deviance approach. African American women with breastfeeding experience were recruited through Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) breastfeeding peer counselors. Eligibility criteria included being age 18 or older, currently participating in WIC, and having breastfed one child for at least 6 months in the past 2 years. Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 participants. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Transcripts were then analyzed for emerging themes using thematic analysis in NVivo software. Participants had on average three children each, with an average length of breastfeeding of 10.5 months per child. Four main themes developed: (a) deciding to breastfeed, (b) initiating breastfeeding, (c) breastfeeding long-term, and (d) expanding breastfeeding support. Participants offered culturally tailored suggestions to improve breastfeeding support for other African American women: prenatal discussions of breastfeeding with health care providers, African American lactation support personnel and breastfeeding support groups, and African American breastfeeding promotion in print and digital media. Women who participated in this study breastfed for longer durations than the national average for African Americans. Findings can inform practice and research efforts to improve breastfeeding rates in this population using lessons learned from successful women.

A prospective study of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels and mortality among African Americans and non-African Americans.

PubMed

Signorello, Lisa B; Han, Xijing; Cai, Qiuyin; Cohen, Sarah S; Cope, Elizabeth L; Zheng, Wei; Blot, William J

2013-01-15

The beneficial biologic effects attributed to vitamin D suggest a potential to influence overall mortality. Evidence addressing this hypothesis is limited, especially for African Americans who have a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. The authors conducted a nested case-control study within the prospective Southern Community Cohort Study to relate baseline serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with subsequent mortality. Cases were 1,852 participants who enrolled from 2002 to 2009 and died >12 months postenrollment. Controls (n = 1,852) were matched on race, sex, age, enrollment site, and blood collection date. The odds ratios for quartile 1 (<10.18 ng/mL) versus quartile 4 (>21.64 ng/mL) levels of 25(OH)D were 1.60 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20, 2.14) for African Americans and 2.11 (95% CI: 1.39, 3.21) for non-African Americans. The effects were strongest for circulatory disease death, where quartile 1 versus quartile 4 odds ratios were 2.53 (95% CI: 1.44, 4.46) and 3.25 (95% CI: 1.33, 7.93) for African Americans and non-African Americans, respectively. The estimated odds of total mortality were minimized in the 25(OH)D range of 35-40 ng/mL. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that vitamin D status may have an important influence on mortality for both African Americans and non-African Americans.

Coming of Age: African American Male Rites-of-Passage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Paul, Jr.

An overview is provided of issues confronting the African American male, along with a strategy to nurture a new generation of African American males. Chapters 1 and 2 focus on the social status and new demographics of the African American male and the external threats that are devastating to the African American male and the African American…

"Brothers Gonna Work It Out:" Understanding the Pedagogic Performance of African American Male Teachers Working with African American Male Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Anthony L.

2009-01-01

Drawing from ethnographic data, this paper explores how African American male teachers working with African American male students performed their pedagogy. This paper highlights how teachers' understanding of African American males social and educational needs shaped their pedagogical performance. Interestingly however, teachers' performance was…

Research on stored biological samples: views of African American and White American cancer patients.

PubMed

Pentz, Rebecca D; Billot, Laurent; Wendler, David

2006-04-01

Proposals on consent for research with biological samples should be informed by empirical studies of individuals' views. Studies to date queried mostly white research subjects. The aim of this study was to compare the views of two groups of patients: cancer patients at a university clinic (Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Healthcare) and cancer patients at an inner city county hospital (Grady) who were given the option of tissue banking. Overall, 315/452 (70%) patients completed the survey. The Grady cohort was 86% African American; the Winship cohort was 82% White. The vast majority (95%) of individuals in both cohorts agreed to provide a biological sample for future research. Both cohorts were willing for their samples to be used to study cancer and other diseases, including Alzheimer disease. Few participants preferred to control the disease to be studied (10%) or wished to be contacted again for consent for each future research project (11%). In our sample, almost all clinical patients, regardless of site of care, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, were willing to provide a biological sample for research purposes and allow investigators to determine the research to be done without contacting the patients again. These findings support the recommendation to offer individuals a simplified consent with a one-time binary choice whether to provide biological samples for future research. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Social distance and stigma toward individuals with schizophrenia: findings in an urban, African-American community sample.

PubMed

Broussard, Beth; Goulding, Sandra M; Talley, Colin L; Compton, Michael T

2012-11-01

Because schizophrenia is arguably among the most stigmatized health conditions, research assessing correlates of stigma is essential. This study examined factors associated with stigma in predominantly Protestant, low-income, urban African Americans in the Southeastern United States. A survey was distributed to 282 patrons of an inner-city food court/farmers' market. Associations were assessed between two measures of stigma--an adapted version of the Social Distance Scale (SDS) and a Semantic Differential Measure (SDM) of attributes such as dangerousness, dirtiness, and worthlessness--and several key variables addressing sociodemographic characteristics and exposure to/familiarity with mental illnesses. Independent predictors of scores on the two measures were identified using linear regression modeling. Higher stigma (as measured by the SDM) was predicted by a family history of psychiatric treatment, whereas lower stigma (as indicated by the SDS) was predicted by personal psychiatric treatment history and higher annual income. The results suggest special considerations when working with disenfranchised populations, especially family members of individuals with mental illnesses, in treatment settings.

Psychosocial barriers to follow-up adherence after an abnormal cervical cytology test result among low-income, inner-city women.

PubMed

Hui, Siu-Kuen Azor; Miller, Suzanne M; Wen, Kuang-Yi; Fang, Zhu; Li, Tianyu; Buzaglo, Joanne; Hernandez, Enrique

2014-10-01

Low-income, inner-city women bear a disproportionate burden of cervical cancer in both incidence and mortality rates in the United States, largely because of low adherence to follow-up recommendations after an abnormal cervical cytology result in the primary care setting. The goals of the present study were to delineate the theory-based psychosocial barriers underlying these persistent low follow-up rates and their sociodemographic correlates. Guided by a well-validated psychosocial theory of health behaviors, this cross-sectional, correlational study assessed the barriers to follow-up adherence among underserved women (N = 210) who received an abnormal cervical cytology result. Participants were recruited through an inner-city hospital colposcopy clinic, and were assessed by telephone prior to the colposcopy appointment. Participants were largely of African American race (82.2%), lower than high school completion education (58.7%), single, never married (67.3%), and without full-time employment (64.1%). Knowledge barriers were most often endorsed (68%, M = 3.22), followed by distress barriers (64%, M = 3.09), and coping barriers (36%, M = 2.36). Forty-six percent reported more than one barrier category. Less education and being unemployed were correlated with higher knowledge barriers (P < .0001 and P < .01, respectively) and more coping barriers (P < .05 and P < .05, respectively). Women who were younger than 30 years displayed greater distress barriers (P < .05). In the primary care setting, assessing and addressing knowledge and distress barriers after feedback of an abnormal cervical cytology result may improve adherence to follow-up recommendations. The use of structured counseling protocols and referral to navigational and other resources may facilitate this process and thereby reduce disparities in cervical cancer. © The Author(s) 2014.

Liver transplantation outcomes among Caucasians, Asian Americans, and African Americans with hepatitis B.

PubMed

Bzowej, Natalie; Han, Steven; Degertekin, Bulent; Keeffe, Emmet B; Emre, Sukru; Brown, Robert; Reddy, Rajender; Lok, Anna S

2009-09-01

Several previous studies found that Asians transplanted for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection had worse post-transplant outcomes than Caucasians. Data on post-transplant outcomes of African Americans and waitlist outcomes of Asian Americans and African Americans with hepatitis B are scant. The aim of this study was to compare waitlist and post-transplant outcomes among Asian Americans, African Americans, and Caucasians who had HBV-related liver disease. Data from a retrospective-prospective study on liver transplantation for HBV infection were analyzed. A total of 274 patients (116 Caucasians, 135 Asians, and 23 African Americans) from 15 centers in the United States were enrolled. African Americans were younger and more Asian Americans had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the time of liver transplant listing. The probability of undergoing transplantation and the probability of survival on the waitlist were comparable in the 3 racial groups. Of the 170 patients transplanted, 19 died during a median follow-up of 31 months. The probability of post-transplant survival at 5 years was 94% for African Americans, 85% for Asian Americans, and 89% for Caucasians (P = 0.93). HCC recurrence was the only predictor of post-transplant survival, and recurrence rates were similar in the 3 racial groups. Caucasians had a higher rate of HBV recurrence: 4-year recurrence was 19% versus 7% and 6% for Asian Americans and African Americans, respectively (P = 0.043). In conclusion, we found similar waitlist and post-transplant outcomes among Caucasians, Asian Americans, and African Americans with hepatitis B. Our finding of a higher rate of HBV recurrence among Caucasians needs to be validated in other studies. (c) 2009 AASLD.

African American and European American Mothers’ Beliefs about Negative Emotions and Emotion Socialization Practices

PubMed Central

Nelson, Jackie A.; Leerkes, Esther M.; O’Brien, Marion; Calkins, Susan D.; Marcovitch, Stuart

2012-01-01

SYNOPSIS Objective Mothers’ beliefs about their children’s negative emotions and their emotion socialization practices were examined. Design Sixty-five African American and 137 European American mothers of 5-year-old children reported their beliefs and typical responses to children’s negative emotions, and mothers’ emotion teaching practices were observed. Results African American mothers reported that the display of negative emotions was less acceptable than European American mothers, and African American mothers of boys perceived the most negative social consequences for the display of negative emotions. African American mothers reported fewer supportive responses to children’s negative emotions than European Americans and more nonsupportive responses to children’s anger. African American mothers of boys also reported more nonsupportive responses to submissive negative emotions than African American mothers of girls. However, no differences were found by ethnicity or child gender in observed teaching about emotions. Group differences in mothers’ responses to negative emotions were explained, in part, by mothers’ beliefs about emotions. Conclusions Differences in beliefs and practices may reflect African American mothers’ efforts to protect their children from discrimination. PMID:22639552

Lower kidney allograft survival in African-Americans compared to Hispanic-Americans with lupus.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Suarez, M L; Contreras, G

2017-10-01

Background and objective African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans with lupus are the two most common minority groups who receive kidney transplants in the USA. It is unknown if African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans with lupus have similar outcomes after kidney transplantation. In this study, we assessed whether African-Americans compared to Hispanic-Americans have worse kidney allograft survival after risk factors of rejection and other prognostic factors were matched between both groups. Methods Out of 1816 African-Americans and 901 Hispanic-Americans with lupus, who received kidney transplants between 1987 and 2006 and had complete records in the UNOS program, 478 pairs were matched in 16 baseline predictors and follow-up time employing a predicted probability of group membership. The primary outcome was kidney allograft survival. Main secondary outcomes were rejection, allograft failure attributed to rejection, and mortality. Results Matched pairs were predominantly women (81%) with the mean age of 36 years. 96% were on dialysis before transplantation. 89% of recipients received kidneys from deceased donors and 15.5% from expanded criteria donors. 12% of recipients had zero HLA mismatch. African-Americans compared to Hispanic-Americans had lower cumulative allograft survival during 12-year follow-up ( p < 0.001). African-Americans compared to Hispanic-Americans had higher rates of rejection (10.4 vs 6.73 events/100 patients-years; p = 0.0002) and allograft failure attributed to rejection (6.31 vs 3.99; p = 0.0023). However, African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans had similar mortality rates (2.71 vs 2.31; p = 0.4269). Conclusions African-Americans compared to Hispanic-Americans with lupus had lower kidney allograft survival when recognized risk factors of rejection were matched between groups.

Identity, Physical Space, and Stigma Among African American Men Living with HIV in Chicago and Seattle.

PubMed

Singleton, Judith L; Raunig, Manuela; Brunsteter, Halley; Desmond, Michelle; Rao, Deepa

2015-12-01

African American men have the highest rates of HIV in the USA, and research has shown that stigma, mistrust of health care, and other psychosocial factors interfere with optimal engagement in care with this population. In order to further understand reducing stigma and other psychosocial issues among African American men, we conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups with African American men in two metropolitan areas in the USA: Chicago and Seattle. We examined transcripts for relationships across variables of stigma, anonymity, self-identity, and space within the context of HIV. Our analysis pointed to similarities between experiences of stigma across the two cities and illustrated the relationships between space, isolation, and preferred anonymity related to living with HIV. The men in our study often preferred that their HIV-linked identities remain invisible and anonymous, associated with perceived and created isolation from physical community spaces. This article suggests that our health care and housing institutions may influence preferences for anonymity. We make recommendations in key areas to create safer spaces for African American men living with HIV and reduce feelings of stigma and isolation.

KSC kicks off African-American History Month

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Mack McKinney, chief, program resources management at NASA and chairperson for African-American History Month, presents a plaque to Bhetty Waldron at the kick-off ceremony of African-American History Month on Feb. 3 at the NASA Training Auditorium. The award was given in thanks for Waldron's portrayal of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and Zora Neal Hurston during the ceremony. The theme for this year's observation is 'Heritage and Horizons: The African-American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century.' February is designated each year as a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans to Kennedy Space Center, NASA and the nation.

The University and the Inner City: A Redefinition of Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spikes, W. Franklin, Ed.

The university and the inner city is examined in this collection of papers. Chapters include: Establishing an Urban Commuter University: The Need for Community (Reynold Feldman and Barbara Hursh); Adult and Community Education: Mobilizing the Resources of the City (Roger Hiemstra); The Arts and Humanities in an Urban Environment (Neil Rudin);…

"Straight Talk" for African-American heterosexual men: results of a single-arm behavioral intervention trial.

PubMed

Frye, Victoria; Henny, Kirk; Bonner, Sebastian; Williams, Kim; Bond, Keosha T; Hoover, Donald R; Lucy, Debbie; Greene, Emily; Koblin, Beryl A

2013-01-01

In the United States, heterosexual transmission is the second leading cause of HIV/AIDS, and two-thirds of all heterosexually acquired cases diagnosed between 2005 and 2008 occurred among African-Americans. Few HIV prevention interventions have been designed specifically for African-American heterosexual men not seeking clinical treatment. Here we report results of a single-arm intervention trial of a theory-based HIV prevention intervention designed to increase condom use, reduce concurrent partnering and increase HIV testing among heterosexually active African-American men living in high HIV prevalence areas of New York City. We tested our hypothesis using McNemar discordant pairs exact test for binary variables and paired t-tests for continuous variables. We observed statistically significant declines in mean number of total and new female partners, unprotected sex partners, and partner concurrency in both primary and nonprimary sex partnerships between baseline and 3 months postintervention.

African Americans and the Industrial Revolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trotter, Joe William, Jr.

2000-01-01

Briefly outlines the ways race and technology shaped: (1) the early enslavement of African Americans; (2) the work of bondsmen and women during the antebellum era; and (3) the increasing urbanization of the African American population during the industrial age. (CMK)

Cerebral white matter hyperintensity in African Americans and European Americans with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Divers, Jasmin; Hugenschmidt, Christina; Sink, Kaycee M; Williamson, Jeffrey D; Ge, Yaorong; Smith, S Carrie; Bowden, Donald W; Whitlow, Christopher T; Lyders, Eric; Maldjian, Joseph A; Freedman, Barry I

2013-10-01

Previous studies involving inner city populations detected higher cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH) scores in African Americans (AAs) compared with European Americans (EAs). This finding might be attributable to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and poorer access to healthcare in AAs. Despite racial differences in CVD risk factor profiles, AAs have paradoxically lower levels of subclinical CVD. We hypothesized that AAs with diabetes and good access to healthcare would have comparable or lower levels of WMH as EAs. Racial differences in the distribution of WMH were analyzed in 46 AAs and 156 EAs with type 2 diabetes enrolled in the Diabetes Heart Study (DHS)-Mind, and replicated in a sample of 113 AAs and 61 EAs patients who had clinically indicated cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. Wilcoxon 2-sample tests and linear models were used to compare the distribution of WMH in AAs and EAs and to test for association between WMH and race. The unadjusted mean WMH score from the Diabetes Heart Study-Mind was 1.9 in AAs and 2.3 in EAs (P = .3244). Among those with clinically indicated magnetic resonance imaging, the mean WMH score was 2.9 in AAs and 3.9 in EAs (P = .0503). Adjustment for age and sex produced no statistically significant differences in WMH score between AAs and EAs. These independent datasets reveal comparable WMH scores in AAs and EAs, suggesting that disparities in access to healthcare and environmental exposures likely underlie the previously reported excess burden of WMH in AAs. Copyright © 2013 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MDMA (ecstasy/molly) use among African Americans: The perceived influence of hip-hop/rap music.

PubMed

Rigg, Khary K; Estreet, Anthony T

2018-02-12

Over the past two decades, the demographic profile of MDMA (ecstasy/molly) users has changed. In particular, African American MDMA use has risen in some cities. One explanation of this new trend is the drug's recent popularity (as molly) in hip-hop/rap (HHR) music. Several top rappers endorse the drug as a way to have fun or get women "loose." There are currently no studies, however, that investigate the extent to which African American MDMA users listen to HHR music or the influence that these pro-MDMA messages have on their use of the drug. To address this gap, the current study used survey data to (a) identify the extent to which HHR music is listened to by African American MDMA users and (b) assess the perceived influence of HHR music on their decision to begin using. Qualitative interview data are also presented to contextualize the influence of these messages on their use of MDMA. The findings of this study suggest that African American MDMA users are high consumers of HHR music and that pro-MDMA messages in HHR music are influencing their expectations of the drug and their decision to initiate use. These findings add to the limited amount of research on African American MDMA use and have the potential to inform future interventions.

African Americans and World War II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersten, Andrew E.

2002-01-01

Focuses on the experience of African Americans during World War II on the homefront and in the armed forces. States that African Americans not only fought fascism overseas but also apartheid in the United States, also known as the "Double V." (CMK)

DefenseLink Special: African Americans in the Military

Science.gov Websites

Related Links * Timeline * 2007 Presidential Proclamation * White House: African American History History Month * African-Americans and the U.S. Navy * A Historic Context for the African-American Military UN Ambassador Young Praises Military's Inclusiveness * Life and History of the "Buffalo Soldiers

Aboriginal Education in Winnipeg Inner City High Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, Jim; Mallett, Kathy

This study investigated the educational circumstances of Aboriginal students in inner city high schools in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is based on a literature review and interviews with Aboriginal high school students, Aboriginal school dropouts, adult members of the Aboriginal community, and teachers. Results indicate that there is a…

Stepping Up to Motherhood among Inner-City Teens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanok, Arielle F.; Miller, Lisa

2007-01-01

This mixed-methods, context-oriented study explored transitions to motherhood among pregnant and newly parenting inner-city teenagers (n = 80) attending an alternative public school. Additionally, a novel research approach was assessed. Using data from a 2-year psychotherapy trial, inductive content analyses of therapy sessions and post hoc…

Black versus Black: The Relationship among African, African American, and African Caribbean Persons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Jennifer V.; Cothran, Mary E.

2003-01-01

Surveyed people of African descent regarding relationships among African, African-American, and African-Caribbean persons, focusing on contact and friendship, travel to countries of the diaspora, cross-cultural communication, thoughts and stereotypes, and education. Most respondents had contacts with the other groups, but groups had preconceived…

Help-Seeking Attitudes among African American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Dominicus W.; Gilbert, Stefanie; Romero, Sergio

2005-01-01

Traditionally, African American students display a low-rate of seeking mental health treatment. Issues such as mistrust of White therapists, attitudes toward mental health problems, and African American spirituality affect their help-seeking behavior. The present study examined a sample of 134 African American students at a Historically Black…

Oral Cancer in African Americans: Addressing Health Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodd, Virginia J.; Watson, Jennifer M.; Choi, Youjin; Tomar, Scott L.; Logan, Henrietta L.

2008-01-01

Objectives: To explore factors underlying African Americans' perceptions of oral cancer and the oral cancer exam. Study findings were used to guide development of oral cancer messages designed to increase oral cancer exams among African Americans. Methods: Focus groups were conducted to understand African Americans' attitudes and expectations…

African Americans: College Majors and Earnings. Fact Sheet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnevale, Anthony P.; Fasules, Megan L.; Porter, Andrea; Landis-Santos Jennifer

2016-01-01

Access to college for African Americans has increased, but African Americans are highly concentrated in lower-paying majors. The college major, which has critical economic consequences throughout life, reflects personal choices but also reflects the fact that African-American students are concentrated in open-access four-year institutions that…

Stigmatised Choices: Social Class, Social Exclusion and Secondary School Markets in the Inner City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reay, Diane; Lucey, Helen

2004-01-01

The transition to secondary school is rarely conceptualised as an important influence in maintaining and contributing to wider processes of social exclusion in the inner city. This article argues that the seeds of social exclusion are sown in under-resourced, struggling inner-city schooling, and their germination is found in class practices,…

Mapping U.S. long-haul truck drivers' multiplex networks and risk topography in inner-city neighborhoods

PubMed Central

Apostolopoulos, Yorghos; Sönmez, Sevil; Lemke, Michael Kenneth; Rothenberg, Richard B.

2015-01-01

This article illustrates how urban inner-city trucking milieux may influence STI/BBI/HIV acquisition and transmission risks for U.S. long-haul truckers, as well as their social and risk relationships. Using mixed methods, we collected ethnoepidemiological and biological data from long-haul truck drivers and their risk contacts in inner-city trucking milieux in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Key findings indicate that within the risk-endemic environment of distressed inner-city areas, diverse trucking risk milieux can amplify STI/BBI/HIV risk for multiplex networks of truckers. Inner-city neighborhood location, short geographic distance among risk contacts, and trucker concurrency can potentially exacerbate transmission via bridging higher-risk individuals with lower-risk populations at disparate geographic and epidemiological locations. PMID:25863181

Exposure of African-American Youth to Alcohol Advertising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

The marketing of alcohol products in African-American communities has, on occasion, stirred national controversy and met with fierce resistance from African Americans and others. Despite occasional media and community spotlights on the marketing of alcohol products in the African-American community, there has been no systematic review of the…

HIV/AIDS among African Americans: progress or progression?

PubMed

Smith, D K; Gwinn, M; Selik, R M; Miller, K S; Dean-Gaitor, H; Ma'at, P I; De Cock, K M; Gayle, H D

2000-06-16

To review data on the extent of HIV infection and associated risk behaviors, the occurrence of AIDS, and HIV-related mortality in African Americans and to suggest what can be done to reduce HIV exposure and infection in this population. Review of epidemiologic, published, multisite data on HIV infection in, and related behaviors of, African Americans. On every epidemiologic measure in common use, African Americans, compared with the four other federally recognized racial/ethnic groups, have the most severe epidemic. The trend data show continuing growth in the African American epidemic despite the availability of effective behavioral interventions and biomedical treatments. Few published intervention studies with African American populations have been adequately evaluated; nor have they focused proportionately on men who have sex with men, a group in the African American community with continuing high rates of infection. Rates of HIV transmission and disease among African Americans are high, disproportionate, and are not declining as significantly in response to effective interventions as they are among whites. Attention is urgently needed to increase our understanding of risk behaviors, social networks, and specific factors in the African American community that can be altered to reduce HIV infection. Macroenvironmental factors--poverty, social class, racism--need to be studied to suggest possible intervention components to reduce rates of HIV transmission and to increase the use of therapies that are more effectively slowing disease progression and lowering death rates among whites.

The African American Woman. Runta (Truth).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Monica L.; Watson, Betty Collier, Ed.

1989-01-01

The African American woman has commanded widespread public attention, but popular misconceptions of her socioeconomic role and status differ sharply from her actual situation. The following basic characteristics of the contemporary African American woman, drawn from census figures, are outlined: (1) demographically, females comprise a majority of…

Popular Media, Critical Pedagogy, and Inner City Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leard, Diane Wishart; Lashua, Brett

2006-01-01

In this article, we explored ways youth, traditionally silenced, engaged with popular culture to voice experiences and challenge dominant narratives of public schools and daily lives. We also considered how educators use popular culture as critical pedagogy with inner city youth. Through ethnographic bricolage and case study methods, and drawing…

Inner-City Children's Graphics Call for Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Lucia Y.

2010-01-01

In a graduate literacy course, the author as the teacher educator conceptualized "Visual Literacy" into the course. In-service and pre-service teachers from inner-city schools in Georgia and Virginia invited struggling writers to create graphic novels by envisioning life activities, using drawings, and invented spellings as well as…

An Audience Analysis of Inner City Black Businesspeople.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krohn, Franklin B.; Rogers, Donald P.

This study was undertaken to describe the perceptual, demographic, and psychological characteristics of black businesspeople in the inner-city community of Buffalo, New York, in order to assist commercial and investment bankers in the formulation of advertising and loan strategies. Of 380 questionnaires distributed to the target population, 104…

Defense.gov Special Report: African American History Month

Science.gov Websites

Department of Defense Submit Search During National African-American History Month, we celebrate the rich In honor of African-American History Month, Fred Moore, the first African-American Tomb Guard history a year later. Story Longest Serving Airman Also Longest in DOD The Air Force's longest serving

African American legislators' perceptions of firearm violence prevention legislation.

PubMed

Payton, Erica; Thompson, Amy; Price, James H; Sheu, Jiunn-Jye; Dake, Joseph A

2015-06-01

Firearm mortality is the leading cause of death for young African American males, however, few studies have focused on racial/ethnic minority populations and firearm violence. The National Black Caucus of State Legislators advocates for legislation that promotes the health of African Americans. Thus, the purpose of this study was to collect baseline data on African American legislators' perceptions regarding firearm violence in the African American community. A cross-sectional study of African American legislators (n = 612) was conducted to investigate the research questions. Of the 612 questionnaires mailed, 12 were not deliverable, and 170 were returned (28%). Utilizing a three wave mailing process, African American legislators were invited to participate in the study. The majority (88%) of respondents perceived firearm violence to be very serious among African Americans. Few (10%) legislators perceived that addressing legislative issues would be an effective strategy in reducing firearm violence among African Americans. The majority (72%) of legislators perceived the most effective strategy to reducing firearm violence in the African American community should focus on addressing societal issues (e.g. crime and poverty). After adjusting for the number of perceived barriers, the number of perceived benefits was a significant predictor of legislators' perceived effectiveness of firearm violence prevention legislation for 8 of the 24 potential firearm violence prevention legislative bills.

Online Health Information and Low-Literacy African Americans

PubMed Central

Birru, Mehret S

2004-01-01

African Americans with low incomes and low literacy levels disproportionately suffer poor health outcomes from many preventable diseases. Low functional literacy and low health literacy impede millions of Americans from successfully accessing health information. These problems are compounded for African Americans by cultural insensitivity in health materials. The Internet could become a useful tool for providing accessible health information to low-literacy and low-income African Americans. Optimal health Web sites should include text written at low reading levels and appropriate cultural references. More research is needed to determine how African Americans with low literacy skills access, evaluate, prioritize, and value health information on the Internet. PMID:15471752

Association Between Life Event Stressors and Low Birth Weight in African American and White Populations: Findings from the 2007 and 2010 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Surveys.

PubMed

Zhao, Yuan; Kershaw, Trace; Ettinger, Adrienne S; Higgins, Chandra; Lu, Michael C; Chao, Shin M

2015-10-01

We examined the association between life events stressors during pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW) among African Americans and Whites, while systematically controlling for potential confounders including individual characteristics and city-level variations and clustering. We analyzed data from 4970 women with singleton births who participated in the 2007 and 2010 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby Surveys. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the association between emotional, financial, spousal and traumatic stressors and LBW among African Americans and Whites. Potential confounders included were: the city-level Economic Hardship Index, maternal demographics, pre-pregnancy conditions, insurance, behavioral risk factors and social support. African Americans were significantly more likely to experience any domain of stressors during their pregnancy, compared to Whites (p < 0.001). Only the association between financial stressors and LBW was significantly different between African Americans and Whites (p for interaction = 0.015). Experience of financial stressors during pregnancy was significantly associated with LBW among African Americans (adjusted odds ratio = 1.49; 95 % confidence interval = 1.01-2.22) but not Whites. Differential impact of financial stressors during pregnancy may contribute to racial disparities in LBW between African Americans and Whites. We showed that financial life event stressors, but not other domains of stressors, were more likely to impact LBW among African Americans than Whites. Initiatives aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of financial stress during pregnancy may contribute to reducing disparities in birth outcomes between African Americans and Whites.

The Influence of the African American Father on Level of Self-Efficacy, Career Achievement, and Aspirations of His African American Daughter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, April E.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate the influence of perceived and desired paternal involvement of the African American father on his African American daughter. The research problem is how father involvement may influence self-efficacy, career achievements, and aspirations of African American females. This study sought to…

Understanding Tobacco Use Onset Among African Americans

PubMed Central

Colby, Suzanne M.; Lu, Bo; Ferketich, Amy K.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Compared to the majority of non-Hispanic white (“white”) cigarette smokers, many African American smokers demonstrate a later age of initiation. The goal of the present study was to examine African American late-onset smoking (ie, regular smoking beginning at age 18 or later) and determine whether late-onset (vs. early-onset) smoking is protective in terms of quit rates and health outcomes. Methods: We used data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) because the wide age range of participants (20–75 at baseline) allowed the examination of smoking cessation and mortality incidence across the lifespan. Results: Consistent with previous research, results indicated a later average age of smoking onset among African Americans, compared to whites. Disentangling effects of race from age-of-onset, we found that the cessation rate among late-onset African American smokers was 33%, whereas rates for early-onset African American smokers and early- and late-onset white smokers ranged from 52% to 57%. Finally, results showed that among white, low-socioeconomic status (SES) smokers, the hazard rate for mortality was greater among early- versus late-onset smokers; in contrast, among African American smokers (both low- and high-SES) hazard rates for mortality did not significantly differ among early- versus late-onset smokers. Conclusions: Although late (vs. early) smoking onset may be protective for whites, the present results suggest that late-onset may not be similarly protective for African Americans. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, in order to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. Implications: This study indicates that late-onset smoking is not only the norm among African American adult smokers, but that late- versus early-onset smoking (ie, delaying onset) does not appear to afford any benefits for African

African American adolescents and new media: associations with HIV/STI risk behavior and psychosocial variables.

PubMed

Whiteley, Laura B; Brown, Larry K; Swenson, Rebecca R; Romer, Daniel; DiClemente, Ralph J P; Salazar, Laura E; Vanable, Peter A; Carey, Michael P; Valois, Robert F

2011-01-01

Cell phones and online media are used frequently but we know little about their use among African American adolescents. This study examines the frequency of such use and its relationship to psychosocial variables and STI/HIV risk behavior. 1,518 African American, aged 13-18 years, from 2 Northeast US cities (Providence, RI; Syracuse, NY) and 2 Southeast US cities (Columbia, SC; Macon, GA), were assessed from 2008-2009. Participants were assessed on frequency of cell phone and Internet use, psychological constructs (ie, depression, life satisfaction, impulsivity) and HIV/STI risk behaviors (ie, history of intercourse, sexual sensation seeking attitudes, peer sexual risks norms) with reliable scales and measures using an audio computer-assisted self-interview. Over 90% of African American adolescents used cell phones every day or most days and 60% used social networking sites every day or most days (96% used Myspace). Greater frequency of cell phone use was associated with sexual sensation seeking (P = .000), riskier peer sexual norms (P = .000), and impulsivity (P = .016). Greater frequency of Internet use was associated with a history of oral/vaginal/anal sex (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.0-1.05) and sexual sensation seeking (P = .000). These findings suggest that riskier youth are online and using cell phones frequently. The Internet and cell phones may be useful platforms for targeted health promotion and prevention efforts with AA adolescents.

African American therapists working with African American families: an exploration of the strengths perspective in treatment.

PubMed

Bell-Tolliver, LaVerne; Burgess, Ruby; Brock, Linda J

2009-07-01

With the exception of Hill's (1971, 1999) work, historically much of the literature on African American families has focused more on pathology than strengths. This study used interviews with 30 African American psychotherapists, self-identified as employing a strengths perspective with African American families, to investigate which strengths they identified in the families and how they use those strengths in therapy. Themes emerging from data analysis confirmed the continued importance of the five strengths Hill noted. In addition, two new strengths were identified by the participants: a willingness of a greater number of families to seek therapy, and the importance of family structure. Strategies used in engaging the families in therapy and practice implications for family therapists are discussed.

Optimizing care for African-American HIV-positive patients.

PubMed

Smith, Kimberly Y; Brutus, Andre; Cathcart, Ronald; Gathe, Joseph; Johnson, William; Jordan, Wilbert; Kwakwa, Helena A; Nkwanyou, Joseph; Page, Carlos; Scott, Robert; Vaughn, Anita C; Virgil, Luther A; Williamson, Diana

2003-10-01

The African-American community has been disproportionately affected HIV/AIDS, as noted by higher reported rates of HIV infection, higher proportion of AIDS cases, and more deaths caused by complications of AIDS than whites and other ethnic groups. In addition, epidemiologic trends suggest that African Americans with HIV infection are more often diagnosed later in the course of HIV disease than whites. Numerous reasons account for this disparity, including the lack of perception of risk and knowledge about HIV transmission as well as a delays in HIV testing and diagnosis in the African-American community. Understanding the important considerations in the management of HIV infection in the African-American patient may create awareness among health care professionals and broaden the knowledge of HIV-infected patients within the African-American community.

Manpower and the City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolino, August C.

Stressing the problems of American inner cities, this volume reviews major manpower problems in their urban setting, various Federal training and educational approaches to maximizing the use of manpower, and the directions that these programs may take during the 1970s. Chapter 1 reviews the general economic conditions of American cities.…

KSC kicks off African-American History Month

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Michelle Amos, mistress of ceremonies for the kick-off of African-American History Month, works with the audience to assist them in the pronunciation of a few token words in native Swahili. The theme for this year's observation is 'Heritage and Horizons: The African-American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century.' February is designated each year as a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans to Kennedy Space Center, NASA and the nation.

Threatened and Placed at Risk: High Achieving African American Males in Urban High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the risk and protective factors of 11 high-achieving African American males attending 4 urban charter high schools in a Midwestern city to determine what factors account for their resilience and success in mathematics courses, and in high school more generally. This research was guided by a Phenomenological Variant of…

Educating African American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Edward E.

2010-01-01

Background: Schools across America spend money, invest in programs, and sponsor workshops, offer teacher incentives, raise accountability standards, and even evoke the name of Obama in efforts to raise the academic achievement of African American males. Incarceration and college retention rates point to a dismal plight for many African American…

Creative Arts Therapies in an Inner City School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalish-Weiss, Beth

A project was undertaken to improve mental health treatment services to seriously emotionally disturbed inner city ethnic minority children. Many of these children and the majority of their parents did not speak English. As service planning began it was agreed that the developers would like to emphasize the creative arts therapies, most especially…

Violence Prevention Strategies of Inner-City Student Experts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skovholt, Thomas; Cognetta, Phillip; Ye, Gretchen; King, Lolita

1997-01-01

Reports on violence prevention in an inner-city middle school. Interviews of students, deemed by peers and teachers as good at managing conflict, revealed eight themes. For example, student experts inoculated themselves in attitude to avoid violence; de-escalated situations when provoked; and believed the cost of fighting exceeds the reward. (RJM)

African Ancestry Is Associated with Asthma Risk in African Americans

PubMed Central

Pino-Yanes, María; Wade, Michael S.; Pérez-Méndez, Lina; Kittles, Rick A.; Wang, Deli; Papaiahgari, Srinivas; Ford, Jean G.; Kumar, Rajesh; Garcia, Joe G. N.

2012-01-01

Background Asthma is a common complex condition with clear racial and ethnic differences in both prevalence and severity. Asthma consultation rates, mortality, and severe symptoms are greatly increased in African descent populations of developed countries. African ancestry has been associated with asthma, total serum IgE and lower pulmonary function in African-admixed populations. To replicate previous findings, here we aimed to examine whether African ancestry was associated with asthma susceptibility in African Americans. In addition, we examined for the first time whether African ancestry was associated with asthma exacerbations. Methodology/Principal Findings After filtering for self-reported ancestry and genotype data quality, samples from 1,117 self-reported African-American individuals from New York and Baltimore (394 cases, 481 controls), and Chicago (321 cases followed for asthma exacerbations) were analyzed. Genetic ancestry was estimated based on ancestry informative markers (AIMs) selected for being highly divergent among European and West African populations (95 AIMs for New York and Baltimore, and 66 independent AIMs for Chicago). Among case-control samples, the mean African ancestry was significantly higher in asthmatics than in non-asthmatics (82.0±14.0% vs. 77.8±18.1%, mean difference 4.2% [95% confidence interval (CI):2.0–6.4], p<0.0001). This association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders (odds ratio: 4.55, 95% CI: 1.69–12.29, p = 0.003). African ancestry failed to show an association with asthma exacerbations (p = 0.965) using a model based on longitudinal data of the number of exacerbations followed over 1.5 years. Conclusions/Significance These data replicate previous findings indicating that African ancestry constitutes a risk factor for asthma and suggest that elevated asthma rates in African Americans can be partially attributed to African genetic ancestry. PMID:22235241

African American community members sustain favorable blood pressure outcomes through 12-month telephone motivational interviewing (MI) maintenance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Community approaches offer promise for addressing disparities experienced by African Americans in hypertension prevalence, treatment, and control. HUB City Steps, a community-based participatory research lifestyle intervention, tracked participants through a 12-month MI maintenance phase following a...

Differences in the Manifest Dream Content of Anglo-American, Mexican-American, and African-American College Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Connie M.

1994-01-01

Compares African Americans' manifest dream content with dreams of Anglo-American and Mexican American peers. Some dream elements that were examined included emotions, environmental press, achievement outcomes, and social interactions. Comparisons indicate that African Americans perceive themselves more strongly as victims of their fate rather than…

African-American wildland memories

Treesearch

Cassandra Y. Johnson; J. Michael Bowker

2004-01-01

Collective memory can be used conceptually to examine African-American perceptions of wildlands and black interaction with such places. The middle--American view of wildlands frames these terrains as refuges--pure and simple, sanctified places distinct from the profanity of human modification. However, wild, primitive areas do not exist in the minds of all Americans as...

Counseling Preferences of African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jacqueline R.; Wermeling, Linda

2007-01-01

African American women hold the greatest need for mental health services among ethnic groups but receive effective counseling least often. This study investigated their preferences of counseling services. Results revealed that the type of service delivery might not be as salient to African American women as counselor-client racial similarity.

Experiences of African American College Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Aundria Chephan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons that African-American alumni from a historically Black university (HBCU) and a predominantly White university (PWI) chose to attend, remain in, and graduate from college. The central research question was how do African Americans describe their college experiences? The secondary research…

Examining the Associations of Racism, Sexism, and Stressful Life Events on Psychological Distress among African American Women

PubMed Central

Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Perry, Brea; Pullen, Erin; Jewell, Jennifer; Oser, Carrie B.

2013-01-01

African American women may be susceptible to stressful events and adverse health outcomes as a result of their distinct social location at the intersection of gender and race. Here, racism and sexism are examined concurrently using survey data from 204 African American women residing in a southeastern U.S. urban city. Associations between racism, sexism, and stressful events across social roles and contexts (i.e., social network loss, motherhood and childbirth, employment and finances, personal illness and injury, and victimization) are investigated. Then, the relationships among these stressors on psychological distress are compared, and a moderation model is explored. Findings suggest that racism and sexism are a significant source of stress in the lives of African American women, and are correlated both with one another and with other stressful events. Implications for future research and clinical considerations are discussed. PMID:25313434

Identity, Physical Space, and Stigma Among African American Men Living with HIV in Chicago and Seattle

PubMed Central

Singleton, Judith L.; Raunig, Manuela; Brunsteter, Halley; Desmond, Michelle; Rao, Deepa

2015-01-01

African American men have the highest rates of HIV in the United States, and research has shown that stigma, mistrust of healthcare, and other psychosocial factors interfere with optimal engagement in care with this population. In order to further understand reducing stigma and other psychosocial issues among African American men, we conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups with African American men in two metropolitan areas in the United States: Chicago and Seattle. We examined transcripts for relationships across variables of stigma, anonymity, self-identity, and space within the context of HIV. Our analysis pointed to similarities between experiences of stigma across the two cities, and illustrated the relationships between space, isolation and preferred anonymity related to living with HIV. The men in our study often preferred their HIV-linked identities remain invisible and anonymous, associated with perceived and created isolation from physical community spaces. This article suggests that our healthcare and housing institutions may influence preferences for anonymity. We make recommendations in key areas to create safer spaces for African American men living with HIV and reduce feelings of stigma and isolation. PMID:26863561

Ophthalmic presentation of giant cell arteritis in African-Americans

PubMed Central

Garrity, S T; Pistilli, M; Vaphiades, M S; Richards, N Q; Subramanian, P S; Rosa, P R; Lam, B L; Osborne, B J; Liu, G T; Duncan, K E; Shin, R K; Volpe, N J; Shindler, K S; Lee, M S; Moster, M L; Tracey, E H; Cuprill-Nilson, S E; Tamhankar, M A

2017-01-01

Purpose To determine the differences in the presentation of ophthalmic giant cell arteritis between African-Americans and Caucasians. Methods This was a multicenter retrospective case series comparing African-American patients with ophthalmic GCA to a previously published Caucasian cohort. Neuro-ophthalmic centers across the United States were contacted to provide data on African-American patients with biopsy-proven ophthalmic giant cell arteritis. The differences between African-American and Caucasian patients with respect to multiple variables, including age, sex, systemic and ophthalmic signs and symptoms, ocular ischemic lesions, and laboratory results were studied. Results The Caucasian cohort was slightly older (mean=76.1 years) than the African-American cohort (mean=72.6 years, P=0.03), and there was no difference in sex distribution between the two cohorts. Headache, neck pain, and anemia were more frequent, while jaw claudication was less frequent in African-Americans (P<0.01, <0.001, 0.02, and 0.03 respectively). Acute vision loss was the most common presentation of giant cell arteritis in both groups, though it was less common in African-Americans (78 vs 98% of Caucasians, P<0.001). Eye pain was more common in African-Americans (28 vs 8% of Caucasians, P<0.01). Conclusions The presenting features of ophthalmic giant cell arteritis in African-Americans and Caucasians are not markedly different, although a few significant differences exist, including higher rates of headache, neck pain, anemia, and eye pain, and lower rates of jaw claudication and acute vision loss in African-Americans. Persons presenting with suspicious signs and symptoms should undergo evaluation for giant cell arteritis regardless of race. PMID:27636230

Types of Dental Fear as Barriers to Dental Care among African American Adults with Oral Health Symptoms in Harlem

PubMed Central

Siegel, Karolynn; Schrimshaw, Eric W.; Kunzel, Carol; Wolfson, Natalie H.; Moon-Howard, Joyce; Moats, Harmon L.; Mitchell, Dennis A.

2013-01-01

To examine the types of dental fear experienced by African American adults and the role of these fears in the utilization of dental care, in-depth interviews were conducted with a street-intercept sample of 118 African Americans living in Harlem, New York City, who had experienced at least one oral health symptom in the past six months. Despite their oral symptoms, participants delayed or avoided dental care (often for years) due to a variety of dental fears, including fears of: 1) pain from needles; 2) the dental drill; 3) having teeth extracted; 4) contracting an illness (e.g., HIV/AIDS) from unsanitary instruments; 5) X-rays; 6) receiving poor quality care or mistreatment. These findings provide insights into the situations that provoke fears about dental treatment among African Americans and suggest strategies to address these fears in order to remove these barriers and increase the utilization of dental care by African American adults. PMID:24212175

Inner City Providence: Implications for Education. Attachment 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchard, Walter J.

This is a collection of raw data and brief descriptions of the neighborhoods which compose the inner city of Providence. It was compiled so that staff, teachers, and the community leaders could think together about the implications of these data for the schools, education, and for the social studies project. Demographic data on the seven…

African American Males: Leaving the Nightmare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Wali

The plight of African American males has become a problem of alarming proportions in the United States. This paper reports serious disadvantage and risk for this group in terms of education, employment, poverty levels, family disintegration, criminal status, health, and death rates. The paper contends that the crisis for African American males…

Mass Testing and the Underdevelopment of Inner-City Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesch, Rick

2000-01-01

Mass testing as a phenomena of global educational restructuring exacerbates social class differences. This phenomenon is examined via inner-city Winnipeg's experience, cross-cultural educational literature, and the Manitoba government's tendency to reinforce the underdevelopment of core area regions. Emerging resistance to educational…

Conceptualizing the African American Mathematics Teacher as a Key Figure in the African American Education Historical Narrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lawrence M.; Jones Frank, Toya; Davis, Julius

2013-01-01

Background/Context: Historians and researchers have documented and explored the work and role of African American teachers in the U.S. educational system, yet there has been limited attention to the specific work, role, and experiences of African American mathematics teachers. To meaningfully and responsibly conceptualize the role of African…

Does Spirituality Influence Academic Achievement and Psychological Adjustment of African American Urban Adolescents?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steward, Robbie J.; Jo, Hanik

In a study of 121 African-American urban adolescents, the use of spiritual support as a means of coping was found to be significantly related to psychological well-being and adjustment. The participants were high school freshmen in a midwestern city in an area where the student attrition rate had ranged from 55 to 65% over a 5-year period.…

How Pregnant African-American Women View Pregnancy Weight Gain

PubMed Central

Groth, Susan W.; Morrison-Beedy, Dianne; Meng, Ying

2012-01-01

Objective To gain insight into how low-income, pregnant African-American women viewed their weight gain while pregnant and how they managed their weight during pregnancy. Design Descriptive study using three focus groups. Setting Women were recruited from urban prenatal care sites and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services in a medium-sized urban Northeastern city. Participants Twenty-six adult, low-income, pregnant African-American women, aged 18–39; the majority were within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Methods Three focus groups were conducted utilizing open-ended questions related to pregnancy weight gain. Content analysis was used to analyze the verbatim transcripts. Analysis focused on meaning, intention and context. Groups were compared and contrasted at the within and between group levels to identify themes. Results Four themes were identified that provided insight into how women viewed their pregnancy weight gain and managed weight gain during pregnancy: (a) pregnancy weight gain: no matter how much means a healthy baby; (b) weight retention: it happens; (c) there is a limit: weight gain impact on appearance; and (d) watching and waiting: plans for controlling weight. Conclusion Low-income African-American women, though cognizant of the likelihood of retention of weight following pregnancy, are not focused on limiting their gestational weight gain. The cultural acceptance of a larger body size along with the belief that gaining more weight is indicative of a healthy infant present challenges for interventions to limit excessive gestational weight gain. PMID:22789036

Persistence among African American Males in the Honors College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson Goins, Johnell Roxann

2014-01-01

Retaining African American students, specifically African American males, is an issue that plagues the American higher education system. Research shows that African American male students are the lowest represented group in the gifted studies programs (Ford, 2010). Lockie and Burke (1999); Chen and DeJardins (2010) and Bell (2010a) found that…

Engaging African American Faith-Based Organizations in Adolescent HIV Prevention.

PubMed

Woods-Jaeger, Briana A; Carlson, Mamie; Taggart, Tamara; Riggins, Linda; Lightfoot, Alexandra F; Jackson, Melvin R

2015-08-01

To reduce current HIV disparities among African American youth, it is imperative to find effective ways to extend the reach of evidence-based HIV prevention. One promising community resource to support this effort is faith-based organizations (FBOs), a credible and respected resource in the African American community. This paper describes the experiences, perceptions, and challenges that African American FBOs and faith leaders face in engaging in adolescent HIV prevention and highlights facilitators and barriers to implementing HIV prevention in African American FBOs. The findings suggest that African American FBOs and faith-based leaders are uniquely positioned to be instrumental resources in reducing African American youth HIV disparities.

Second-Generation Effects of Chicago's Gautreaux Residential Mobility Program on Children's Participation in Crime

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keels, Micere

2008-01-01

Data from the Gautreaux residential mobility program, which relocated low-income African American families from high poverty, segregated inner-city, Chicago neighborhoods into mostly European American, suburban neighborhoods, and mostly European American or mostly African American neighborhoods within Chicago, are used to assess whether children's…

A Decade of Experience With Renal Transplantation in African-Americans

PubMed Central

Foster, Clarence E.; Philosophe, Benjamin; Schweitzer, Eugene J.; Colonna, John O.; Farney, Alan C.; Jarrell, Bruce; Anderson, Leslie; Bartlett, Stephen T.

2002-01-01

Objective To evaluate the strategies instituted by the authors’ center to decrease the time to transplantation and increase the rate of transplantation for African-Americans, consisting of a formal education program concerning the benefits of living organ donation that is oriented to minorities; a laparoscopic living donation program; use of hepatitis C-positive donors in documented positive recipients; and encouraging vaccination for hepatitis B, allowing the use of hepatitis B core Ab-positive donors. Summary Background Data The national shortage of suitable kidney donor organs has disproportional and adverse effects on African-Americans for several reasons. Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension, major etiologic factors for end-stage renal disease, are more prevalent in African-Americans than in the general population. Once kidney failure has developed, African-Americans are disadvantaged for the following reasons: this patient cohort has longer median waiting times on the renal transplant list; African-Americans have higher rates of acute rejection, which affects long-term allograft survival; and once they are transplanted, the long-term graft survival rates are lower in this population than in other groups. Methods From March 1990 to November 2001 the authors’ center performed 2,167 renal transplants; 944 were in African-Americans (663 primary cadaver renal transplants and 253 primary Living donor renal transplants). The retransplants consisted of 83 cadaver transplants and 17 living donor transplants. Outcome measures of this retrospective analysis included median waiting time, graft and patient survival rates, and the rate of living donation in African-Americans and comparable non-African-Americans. Where applicable, data are compared to United Network for Organ Sharing national statistics. Statistical analysis employed appropriate SPSS applications. Results One- and 5-year patient survival rates for living donor kidneys were 97.1% and 91.3% for non-African-Americans

A decade of experience with renal transplantation in African-Americans.

PubMed

Foster, Clarence E; Philosophe, Benjamin; Schweitzer, Eugene J; Colonna, John O; Farney, Alan C; Jarrell, Bruce; Anderson, Leslie; Bartlett, Stephen T

2002-12-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the strategies instituted by the authors' center to decrease the time to transplantation and increase the rate of transplantation for African-Americans, consisting of a formal education program concerning the benefits of living organ donation that is oriented to minorities; a laparoscopic living donation program; use of hepatitis C-positive donors in documented positive recipients; and encouraging vaccination for hepatitis B, allowing the use of hepatitis B core Ab-positive donors. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA The national shortage of suitable kidney donor organs has disproportional and adverse effects on African-Americans for several reasons. Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension, major etiologic factors for end-stage renal disease, are more prevalent in African-Americans than in the general population. Once kidney failure has developed, African-Americans are disadvantaged for the following reasons: this patient cohort has longer median waiting times on the renal transplant list; African-Americans have higher rates of acute rejection, which affects long-term allograft survival; and once they are transplanted, the long-term graft survival rates are lower in this population than in other groups. METHODS From March 1990 to November 2001 the authors' center performed 2,167 renal transplants; 944 were in African-Americans (663 primary cadaver renal transplants and 253 primary Living donor renal transplants). The retransplants consisted of 83 cadaver transplants and 17 living donor transplants. Outcome measures of this retrospective analysis included median waiting time, graft and patient survival rates, and the rate of living donation in African-Americans and comparable non-African-Americans. Where applicable, data are compared to United Network for Organ Sharing national statistics. Statistical analysis employed appropriate SPSS applications. RESULTS One- and 5-year patient survival rates for living donor kidneys were 97.1% and 91.3% for non-African-Americans

Improved survival with HPV among African Americans with oropharyngeal cancer.

PubMed

Worsham, Maria J; Stephen, Josena K; Chen, Kang Mei; Mahan, Meredith; Schweitzer, Vanessa; Havard, Shaleta; Divine, George

2013-05-01

A major limitation of studies reporting a lower prevalence rate of human papilloma virus (HPV) in African American patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) than Caucasian Americans, with corresponding worse outcomes, was adequate representation of HPV-positive African American patients. This study examined survival outcomes in HPV-positive and HPV-negative African Americans with OPSCC. The study cohort of 121 patients with primary OPSCC had 42% African Americans. Variables of interest included age, race, gender, HPV status, stage, marital status, smoking, treatment, and date of diagnosis. Caucasian Americans are more likely to be HPV positive (OR = 3.28; P = 0.035), as are younger age (age < 50 OR = 7.14; P = 0.023 compared with age > 65) or being married (OR = 3.44; P = 0.016). HPV positivity and being unmarried were associated with being late stage (OR = 3.10; P = 0.047 and OR = 3.23; P = 0.038, respectively). HPV-negative patients had 2.7 times the risk of death as HPV-positive patients (P = 0.004). Overall, the HPV-race groups differed (log-rank P < 0.001), with significantly worse survival for HPV-negative African Americans versus (i) HPV-positive African Americans (HR = 3.44; P = 0.0012); (ii) HPV-positive Caucasian Americans (HR = 3.11; P = < 0.049); and (iii) HPV-negative Caucasian Americans (HR = 2.21; P = 0.049). HPV has a substantial impact on overall survival in African American patients with OPSCC. Among African American patients with OPSCC, HPV-positive patients had better survival than HPV negative. HPV-negative African Americans also did worse than both HPV-positive Caucasian Americans and HPV-negative Caucasian Americans. This study adds to the mounting evidence of HPV as a racially linked sexual behavior life style risk factor impacting survival outcomes for both African American and Caucasian American patients with OPSCC. ©2013 AACR.

African and Non-African Admixture Components in African Americans and An African Caribbean Population

PubMed Central

Murray, Tanda; Beaty, Terri H.; Mathias, Rasika A.; Rafaels, Nicholas; Grant, Audrey Virginia; Faruque, Mezbah U.; Watson, Harold R.; Ruczinski, Ingo; Dunston, Georgia M.; Barnes, Kathleen C.

2013-01-01

Admixture is a potential source of confounding in genetic association studies, so it becomes important to detect and estimate admixture in a sample of unrelated individuals. Populations of African descent in the US and the Caribbean share similar historical backgrounds but the distributions of African admixture may differ. We selected 416 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to estimate and compare admixture proportions using STRUCTURE in 906 unrelated African Americans (AAs) and 294 Barbadians (ACs) from a study of asthma. This analysis showed AAs on average were 72.5% African, 19.6% European and 8% Asian, while ACs were 77.4% African, 15.9% European, and 6.7% Asian which were significantly different. A principal components analysis based on these AIMs yielded one primary eigenvector that explained 54.04% of the variation and captured a gradient from West African to European admixture. This principal component was highly correlated with African vs. European ancestry as estimated by STRUCTURE (r2 = 0.992, r2 = 0.912, respectively). To investigate other African contributions to African American and Barbadian admixture, we performed PCA on ~14,000 (14k) genome-wide SNPs in AAs, ACs, Yorubans, Luhya and Maasai African groups, and estimated genetic distances (FST). We found AAs and ACs were closest genetically (FST = 0.008), and both were closer to the Yorubans than the other East African populations. In our sample of individuals of African descent, ~400 well-defined AIMs were just as good for detecting substructure as ~14,000 random SNPs drawn from a genome-wide panel of markers. PMID:20717976

Improving Parental Involvement in an Inner-City School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marion, Veronica D.

2017-01-01

A pattern of low parental involvement exists at in an inner-city school in the northeast region of the United States, where 90% of the students are students of color and fewer than 10% of parents attend school-based activities. Low parental involvement at the local school may lead to decreased student achievement and limited access to needed…

Perceived value in food selection when dining out: comparison of African Americans and Euro-Americans.

PubMed

Vinci, Debra M; Philipp, Steven F

2007-06-01

This descriptive study compares African Americans' and Euro-Americans' perceived value of food selection pertaining to cost, portion size, and meal satisfaction when eating away from home. A stratified sample was drawn from a southern U.S. metropolitan area (N= 1,011; 486 African American, 525 Euro-American). Analysis showed no difference between African-American and Euro-American adults by sex or how often they dined out. These two groups significantly differed across years of education, age, and answering 14 of 18 rated statements on value perceptions. African-Americans' value perceptions were influenced more by lower cost foods and larger portion sizes than those of Euro-Americans. For meal satisfaction, African Americans were more likely to agree with statements that indicate preferring foods high in energy and low in essential micronutrient density. This study supports the need for more investigation.

Understanding Tobacco Use Onset Among African Americans.

PubMed

Roberts, Megan E; Colby, Suzanne M; Lu, Bo; Ferketich, Amy K

2016-04-01

Compared to the majority of non-Hispanic white ("white") cigarette smokers, many African American smokers demonstrate a later age of initiation. The goal of the present study was to examine African American late-onset smoking (ie, regular smoking beginning at age 18 or later) and determine whether late-onset (vs. early-onset) smoking is protective in terms of quit rates and health outcomes. We used data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) because the wide age range of participants (20-75 at baseline) allowed the examination of smoking cessation and mortality incidence across the lifespan. Consistent with previous research, results indicated a later average age of smoking onset among African Americans, compared to whites. Disentangling effects of race from age-of-onset, we found that the cessation rate among late-onset African American smokers was 33%, whereas rates for early-onset African American smokers and early- and late-onset white smokers ranged from 52% to 57%. Finally, results showed that among white, low-socioeconomic status (SES) smokers, the hazard rate for mortality was greater among early- versus late-onset smokers; in contrast, among African American smokers (both low- and high-SES) hazard rates for mortality did not significantly differ among early- versus late-onset smokers. Although late (vs. early) smoking onset may be protective for whites, the present results suggest that late-onset may not be similarly protective for African Americans. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, in order to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. This study indicates that late-onset smoking is not only the norm among African American adult smokers, but that late- versus early-onset smoking (ie, delaying onset) does not appear to afford any benefits for African Americans in terms of cessation or mortality. These results

A Comparison of Depressive Symptoms in African Americans and Caucasian Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayalon, Liat; Young, Michael A.

2003-01-01

Examined group differences in depressive symptomatology among African Americans and whites seeking psychotherapy. African Americans reported less pessimism, dissatisfaction, self-blame, and suicidal ideation and more sense of punishment and weight change, but for reasons unrelated to depression. Self-dislike was a stronger manifestation of…

Evaluating Academic Achievement of African-American Male Students in Relationship to African-American Male Teachers in Guilford County, North Carolina Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Byron L.

2010-01-01

The home and the public school classroom have been key environments in the African American community and have been instrumental in developing identity and encouraging academic progress. Despite this, the dropout rates of African American males in secondary grades have increased, while academic achievement scores of African American males in the…

An Investigation of African American Parents' Perception of School Leaders as It Relates to Parent Engagement and the African American Male Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie, Delvon Denise

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate African American parents' perception of school leaders as it relates to parent engagement and the African American male student. Specifically, this study addressed African American parents' perceptions of the quality of their child's education and the quality of communication they received from their…

African-American teen girls grieve the loss of friends to homicide: meaning making and resilience.

PubMed

Johnson, Celeste M

2010-01-01

Few studies have examined the bereavement experiences of African-American teen girls who have mourned the loss of friends due to homicide. This qualitative study examined such bereavement experiences with a sample of 20 African-American teen girls, ages 16-19, living in a large northeastern U.S. city. Meaning making, adolescent developmental theory, ideas regarding traumatic loss, and resilience provided a framework to understand how these teens coped with the tragic loss of a friend. The teen girls in this study demonstrated resilience in their ability to adequately "move on" with their lives. They remained achievement oriented and sustained meaningful relationships with family, valued friends, and others. Early, metaphysical, and motivational meaning constructions contributed to the teens' resilience.

Pigmentation in African American skin decreases with skin aging.

PubMed

Chien, Anna L; Suh, Jean; Cesar, Sabrina Sisto Alessi; Fischer, Alexander H; Cheng, Nancy; Poon, Flora; Rainer, Barbara; Leung, Sherry; Martin, Jo; Okoye, Ginette A; Kang, Sewon

2016-10-01

Tristimulus colorimetry, which uses the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*a*b* model to quantify color, has previously been used to analyze pigmentation and erythema in human skin; however, colorimetry of African American skin is not well characterized. We sought to analyze skin color patterns in African Americans and compare them with those of Caucasians. Colorimetry readings of the sun-protected buttock and sun-exposed back of forearm were taken from 40 Caucasian and 43 African American participants from March 2011 through August 2015. African American participants also completed a lifestyle questionnaire. Correlation coefficients, paired t tests, and multivariable linear regression analyses were used for statistical comparisons. Forearm skin was lighter in African Americans ages 65 years and older versus 18 to 30 years (P = .02) but darker in Caucasians ages 65 years or older versus 18 to 30 years (P = .03). In African Americans ages 18 to 30 years, the buttock was darker than the forearm (P < .001), whereas in Caucasians the buttock was lighter than the forearm (P < .001). A lighter forearm than buttock was correlated with supplement use, smoking (ages 18-30 years), and less recreational sun exposure (ages ≥65 years) in African Americans. Our study was limited by the sample size and focal geographic source. Pigmentation patterns regarding sun-protected and sun-exposed areas in African Americans may differ from that of Caucasians, suggesting that other factors may contribute to skin pigmentation in African Americans. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A survey of inner city youth and their parents about participation in sports.

PubMed

Busey, Sharon L; Batten, Casey G; Young, Craig C; Bragg, Dawn S

2007-09-01

Several studies have explored motivating factors for sports participation for youth, but limited data is available regarding factors motivating inner-city children to participate in sports. A consecutive sample of parents (n=100 parents) and children (n=138 children) attending a health fair in an inner-city community were surveyed regarding motivating factors for enrolling in a team sport (or enrolling their child in a team sport). Parents and children indicated the importance of 10 factors (1=not very important to 4=very important) on separate but similar written surveys. "Developing healthy habits" and "Becoming physically fit and healthy" received the highest mean rankings from both parents and children. "Helping my child gain or lose weight" received one of the lowest rankings from parents. To encourage sports participation by inner-city children, health care professionals and others should emphasize identified motivational factors for children and their parents.

Exploring the Link between Self-Construal and Distress among African American and Asian American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Michael S.; Skillman, Gemma D.

2009-01-01

The authors investigated ethnicity, self-construal, and distress among African American and Asian American college students. African American students expressed more salient independent self-construals, whereas Asian American students expressed more salient interdependent self-construals. As hypothesized, among African American participants,…

Bridging barriers to clinic-based HIV testing with new technology: translating self-implemented testing for African American youth.

PubMed

Catania, J A; Dolcini, M M; Harper, G W; Dowhower, D P; Dolcini-Catania, L G; Towner, S L; Timmons, A; Motley, D N; Tyler, D H

2015-12-01

Numerous barriers to clinic-based HIV testing exist (e.g., stigmatization) for African American youth. These barriers may be addressed by new technology, specifically HIV self-implemented testing (SIT). We conducted a series of formative phase 3 translation studies (49 face-to-face interviews, 9 focus groups, 1 advisory panel review) among low-income African American youth (15-19 years) and providers of adolescent services in two US cities to identify potential translation difficulties of the OraQuick SIT. Based on content analysis, we found that providers and African American youth viewed SITs positively compared to clinic-based testing. Data suggest that SITs may reduce social stigma and privacy concerns and increase convenience and normalization of HIV testing. Challenges with SIT implementation include difficulties accessing confirmatory testing, coping with adverse outcomes, and instructional materials that may be inappropriate for low socioeconomic status (SES) persons. Study results underscore the need for translation studies to identify specific comprehension and implementation problems African American youth may have with oral SITs.

African American and European American Veterans’ Perspectives on Receiving Mental Health Treatment

PubMed Central

Castro, Frank; AhnAllen, Christopher G.; Wiltsey-Stirman, Shannon; Lester-Williams, Kristin; Klunk-Gillis, Julie; Dick, Alexandra M.; Resick, Patricia A.

2015-01-01

Little is known about client attitudes, especially Veterans’, toward the types of structured interventions that are increasingly being offered in public sector and VA mental health clinics, nor is the possible impact these attitudes may have on treatment engagement well understood. Previous work indicates that attitudes of African Americans and European Americans toward treatment may differ in important ways. Attitudes toward treatment have been a proposed explanation for lower treatment engagement and higher dropout rates among African Americans compared to European Americans. Yet to date, the relationship between race and attitudes toward treatment and treatment outcomes has been understudied, and findings inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to explore African American and European American Veteran attitudes toward mental health care, especially as they relate to structured treatments. Separate focus groups were conducted with 24 African American and 37 European American military Veterans. In general, both groups reported similar reasons to seek treatment and similar thoughts regarding the purpose of therapy. Differences emerged primarily regarding therapist preferences. In both groups, some participants expressed favorable opinions of structured treatments and others expressed negative views; treatment preferences did not appear to be influenced by race. PMID:25822316

Gold diggers, video vixens, and Jezebels: stereotype images and substance use among urban African American girls.

PubMed

Wallace, Scyatta A; Townsend, Tiffany G; Glasgow, Y Marcia; Ojie, Mary Jane

2011-09-01

This study sought to examine the relationship of negative stereotype attitudes and endorsement of western standards of beauty (i.e., colorism) on the substance use behavior of low-income urban African American girls. Racial socialization was also examined as a potential moderator to identify any buffering effects of parental messages concerning race. Two hundred seventy-two African American female adolescents (mean age 13.02 years) were recruited from community venues in a Northeastern city. Adolescents completed a self-report questionnaire. Results of a series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that girls who accepted an African American standard of beauty reported lower levels of substance use than those who endorsed colorism. Additionally, racial socialization buffered the negative relationship of colorism to substance use behavior, but only for a certain subset of girls. Tailored health interventions that consider both gender-specific and race-specific issues may improve risk behaviors, including substance use among adolescent females.

Creative musical expression as a catalyst for quality-of-life improvement in inner-city adolescents placed in a court-referred residential treatment program.

PubMed

Bittman, Barry; Dickson, Larry; Coddington, Kim

2009-01-01

Obstacles to effectively rehabilitate inner-city adolescents in staff-secure residential treatment centers should not be underestimated. Effective evidence-based protocols are lacking to help juveniles who are often angry, detached, frustrated, and in direct conflict with their peers. Facing a myriad of issues ranging from youth delinquency offenses to trauma, abuse, drug/alcohol use, peer pressure/gang-related activities, lack of structure in home environments, mental health diagnoses, and cognitive functioning difficulties, these adolescents present extraordinary challenges to an over-stressed juvenile justice system. A randomized controlled crossover study is utilized to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of a novel creative musical expression protocol as a catalyst for nonverbal and verbal disclosure leading to improvements in quality of life for inner-city youth in a court-referred residential treatment program. A total of 52 (30 females and 22 males) African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Puerto Rican subjects ranging in age from 12 to 18 (mean age 14.5) completed the study. Dependent variable measures included the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS), the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale (APS), the Adolescent Anger Rating Scale (AARS), the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, 2nd edition (RADS 2), and the Adolescent Visual-Analog Recreational Music Making Assessment (A-VARMMA). Statistically significant (experimental vs control) improvements in multiple parameters include school/work role performance, total depression, anhedonia/negative affect, negative self-evaluation, and instrumental anger. In addition, extended impact (experimental vs control) is characterized by statistically significant improvements 6 weeks after completion of the protocol, for school/work role performance, behavior toward others, anhedonia/negative affect, total anger, instrumental anger, anger, and interpersonal problems. The primary limitations of this

Horizontal and vertical dimensions of individualism-collectivism: a comparison of African Americans and European Americans.

PubMed

Komarraju, Meera; Cokley, Kevin O

2008-10-01

The current study examined ethnic differences in horizontal and vertical dimensions of individualism and collectivism among 96 African American and 149 European American college students. Participants completed the 32-item Singelis et al. (1995) Individualism/Collectivism Scale. Multivariate analyses of variance results yielded a main effect for ethnicity, with African Americans being significantly higher on horizontal individualism and European Americans being higher on horizontal collectivism and vertical individualism. A moderated multiple regression analysis indicated that ethnicity significantly moderated the relationship between individualism and collectivism. Individualism and collectivism were significantly and positively associated among African Americans, but not associated among European Americans. In addition, collectivism was related to grade point average for African Americans but not for European Americans. Contrary to the prevailing view of individualism-collectivism being unipolar, orthogonal dimensions, results provide support for individualism-collectivism to be considered as unipolar, related dimensions for African Americans.

Cultural in-group advantage: emotion recognition in African American and European American faces and voices.

PubMed

Wickline, Virginia B; Bailey, Wendy; Nowicki, Stephen

2009-03-01

The authors explored whether there were in-group advantages in emotion recognition of faces and voices by culture or geographic region. Participants were 72 African American students (33 men, 39 women), 102 European American students (30 men, 72 women), 30 African international students (16 men, 14 women), and 30 European international students (15 men, 15 women). The participants determined emotions in African American and European American faces and voices. Results showed an in-group advantage-sometimes by culture, less often by race-in recognizing facial and vocal emotional expressions. African international students were generally less accurate at interpreting American nonverbal stimuli than were European American, African American, and European international peers. Results suggest that, although partly universal, emotional expressions have subtle differences across cultures that persons must learn.

Breast-feeding rates at an inner-city pediatric practice.

PubMed

Furman, Lydia; Combs, Bridget C; Alexander, Ashley D; O'Riordan, Mary Ann

2008-11-01

To determine rates of breast-feeding in the first 2 months of life at an inner-city pediatric practice. Using retrospective chart reviews, we examined all visits through 2 months of age for infants seen from April 1, 2007, to June 29, 2007, at the Pediatric Practice of Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, which serves a low-income urban population. Rates of breast-feeding were analyzed by visit number and by infant age category. We reviewed all 557 visits occurring between birth and 2 months of age for all 223 eligible infants. At visit 1 (median age 5 days), the rates of exclusive and any breast-feeding were 22.0% and 40.8%, respectively. By visit 3 (median age 43 days), the rates of exclusive and any breast-feeding were 10.6% and 24.5%, respectively. These inner-city breast-feeding rates are substantially below reported regional and national rates. Barriers to implementing urgently needed interventions are discussed.

Examining the associations of racism, sexism, and stressful life events on psychological distress among African-American women.

PubMed

Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Perry, Brea; Pullen, Erin; Jewell, Jennifer; Oser, Carrie B

2014-10-01

African-American women may be susceptible to stressful events and adverse health outcomes as a result of their distinct social location at the intersection of gender and race. Here, racism and sexism are examined concurrently using survey data from 204 African-American women residing in a southeastern U.S. urban city. Associations among racism, sexism, and stressful events across social roles and contexts (i.e., social network loss, motherhood and childbirth, employment and finances, personal illness and injury, and victimization) are investigated. Then, the relationships among these stressors on psychological distress are compared, and a moderation model is explored. Findings suggest that racism and sexism are a significant source of stress in the lives of African-American women and are correlated with one another and with other stressful events. Implications for future research and clinical considerations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Church and spirituality in the lives of the African American community.

PubMed

Giger, Joyce Newman; Appel, Susan J; Davidhizar, Ruth; Davis, Claudia

2008-10-01

The African American church is held in the highest esteem by most African Americans. Although the influence of the African American church has been underestimated by physicians and nurses, it could be pivotal in optimizing health status among African Americans. Because of this influence, health care practitioners, including nurses, are now recognizing the important role that the African American church plays in improving the health status of individuals in the African American community. This article illuminates the health and health care concerns of the African American community by considering the traditional lack of equal access for this population and the role that the church can play in not only offering church-based health care services but also improving the health status of church congregations. Future roles of the African American church for improved health status are also suggested.

African American Adolescents and New Media: Associations with HIV/STI risk behavior and psychosocial variables

PubMed Central

Whiteley, Laura B.; Brown, Larry K.; Swenson, Rebecca R.; Romer, Daniel; DiClemente, Ralph J.P.; Salazar, Laura F.; Vanable, Peter A.; Carey, Michael P.; Valois, Robert F.

2012-01-01

Objectives Cell phones and online media are used frequently but we know little about their use among African American adolescents. This study examines the frequency of such use and its relationship to psychosocial variables and STI/HIV risk behavior. Setting/Participants 1,518 African American, 13 to 18 years of age, from 2 Northeast U.S. cities (Providence, RI; Syracuse, NY) and 2 Southeast U.S. cities (Columbia, SC; Macon, GA) were assessed from 2008–2009. Design Participants were assessed on frequency of cell phone and Internet use, psychological constructs (depression, life satisfaction, impulsivity) and HIV/STI risk behaviors (history of intercourse, sexual sensation seeking attitudes, peer sexual risks norms) with reliable scales and measures using an audio computer-assisted self-interview. Results Over 90% of African American adolescents used cell phones everyday or most days and 60% used social networking sites everyday or most days (96% used Myspace). Greater requency of cell phone use was associated with sexual sensation seeking (p=.000), riskier peer sexual norms (p=.000), and impulsivity (p=.016). Greater frequency of Internet use was associated with a history of oral/vaginal/anal sex (OR= 1.03, CI=1.0–1.05) and sexual sensation seeking (p=.000). Conclusion These findings suggest that riskier youth are online and using cell phones frequently. The Internet and cell phones maybe useful platforms for targeted health promotion and prevention efforts with AA adolescents. PMID:21749027

Kinship Care: The African American Response to Family Preservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scannapieco, Maria; Jackson, Sondra

1996-01-01

Discusses increased kinship care as a resilient response by the African American community. Strengths and resilience of the African American family can be attributed in part to a strong kinship network. In this manner, the African American community is preserving the family. Concludes this community needs support through imaginative social work…

Three Generations, Three Wars: African American Veterans.

PubMed

Black, Helen K

2016-02-01

This article emerged from pilot research exploring experiences of war and suffering among African American veterans who served in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Men's experiences as soldiers reflected both racism and the social change that occurred in the Unites States while they served. We used techniques of narrative elicitation, conducting qualitative, ethnographic interviews with each of five veterans in his home. Interviews focused on unique and shared experiences as an African American man and a soldier. Three important themes emerged: (a) Expectations related to War--Although men viewed service to country as an expected part of life, they also expected equal treatment in war, which did not occur; (b) Suffering as an African American--Informants interpreted experiences of suffering in war as related to the lower status of African American servicemen; and (c) Perception of present identity--Each man was honed by the sum of his experiences, including those of combat, racism, and postwar opportunities and obstacles. From 40 to 70 years after the wars were fought, there are few scholarly narrative studies on African American veterans, despite the fact that Korean War Veterans are entering old-old age and few World War II Veterans are alive. The value of pilot research that offers narratives of unheard voices is significant; larger studies can interview more African American veterans to advance knowledge that might soon be lost. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Social, Cultural and Linguistic Factors Affecting the Teaching of Physical Education in the Inner City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leibowitz, Harold

The work of the inner city student differs markedly from that of the middle class teacher, resulting in communication problems between teachers and students. The major problem appears to be the clash of cultures that is sustained by the dissimilar value system of the two groups. For instance, the cultural environment of most inner city students is…

Outcomes in African Americans and whites after percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Chen, Michael S; Bhatt, Deepak L; Chew, Derek P; Moliterno, David J; Ellis, Stephen G; Topol, Eric J

2005-09-01

We aimed to determine whether African Americans and whites have different outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We prospectively selected 8832 patients (707 African Americans) for long-term follow-up after PCI at our institution from 1992 to 2002. The primary outcome studied was death or myocardial infarction at 1 year. Propensity adjustment was performed to account for baseline differences between African Americans and whites. African Americans had higher rates of diabetes and less prior revascularization. Percutaneous coronary interventions in African Americans were more often urgent. Stent use was similar. Procedural success rates were similar, as were periprocedural and 30-day composite rates of death or myocardial infarction. In 1-year unadjusted outcomes, African Americans had a higher rate of death or myocardial infarction (18.0% vs 14.5%; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 to 1.50; P = 0.017), but the difference was no longer significant after propensity adjustment (HR = 1.18; 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.43, P = 0.087). African Americans had a higher risk for periprocedural bleeding that persisted after propensity adjustment (adjusted odds ratio = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.84, P = 0.002). After PCI, African Americans have similar short-term rates of death or myocardial infarction when compared with whites but have a nonsignificant trend toward worse long-term outcomes. Our findings, when interpreted in the context of reportedly lower revascularization rates among African Americans, suggest that continued efforts to optimize the appropriate use of coronary revascularization among African Americans are warranted.

Parent Support and African American Adolescents' Career Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alliman-Brissett, Annette E.; Turner, Sherri L.; Skovholt, Thomas M.

2004-01-01

Research has shown that African American adolescents are not being prepared to enter the workforce at the same rates as adolescents from other ethnic groups. While educational and career options were unavailable to African Americans in previous eras, today educational and career opportunities abound, yet many young African Americans are not in a…

Food insecurity, overweight and obesity among low-income African-American families in Baltimore City: associations with food-related perceptions.

PubMed

Vedovato, Gabriela M; Surkan, Pamela J; Jones-Smith, Jessica; Steeves, Elizabeth Anderson; Han, Eunkyung; Trude, Angela Cb; Kharmats, Anna Y; Gittelsohn, Joel

2016-06-01

To examine associations between food insecurity, excess body weight, psychosocial factors and food behaviours among low-income African-American families. Cross-sectional survey of participants in the baseline evaluation of the B'More Healthy Communities for Kids (BHCK) obesity prevention trial. We collected data on socio-economic factors, food source destinations, acquiring food, preparation methods, psychosocial factors, beliefs and attitudes, participation in food assistance programmes, anthropometry and food security. We used principal component analysis to identify patterns of food source destinations and logistic regression to examine associations. Fourteen low-income, predominantly African-American neighbourhoods in Baltimore City, MD, USA. Two hundred and ninety-eight adult caregiver-child (10-14 years old) dyads. Of households, 41·6 % had some level of food insecurity and 12·4 % experienced some level of hunger. Food-insecure participants with hunger were significantly more likely to be unemployed and to have lower incomes. We found high rates of excess body weight (overweight and obesity) among adults and children (82·8 % and 37·9 % among food insecure without hunger, 89·2 % and 45·9 % among food insecure with hunger, respectively), although there were no significant differences by food security status. Food source usage patterns, food acquisition, preparation, knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions did not differ by food security. Food security was associated with perceptions that healthy foods are affordable and convenient. Greater caregiver body satisfaction was associated with food insecurity and excess body weight. In this setting, obesity and food insecurity are major problems. For many food-insecure families, perceptions of healthy foods may serve as additional barriers to their purchase and consumption.

The Second Digital Divide and Its Effect on African-American (K-12) School-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Christopher A.

2010-01-01

The qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of educators and parents of African-American (K-12) school-age children on how the children were using technology. The study was conducted in the Memphis City Public School System (MCS) and was limited to three schools in a school district. Common themes emerged from the analysis of…

A Dietary Intervention in Urban African Americans

PubMed Central

Miller, Edgar R.; Cooper, Lisa A.; Carson, Kathryn A.; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Appel, Lawrence J.; Gayles, Debra; Charleston, Jeanne; White, Karen; You, Na; Weng, Yingjie; Martin-Daniels, L. Michelle; Bates-Hopkins, Barbara; Robb, Inez; Franz, Whitney K.; Brown, Emily L.; Halbert, Jennifer P.; Albert, Michael C.; Dalcin, Arlene T.; Yeh, Hsin-Chieh

2015-01-01

Introduction Unhealthy diets, often low in potassium, likely contribute to racial disparities in blood pressure. We tested the effectiveness of providing weekly dietary advice, assistance with selection of higher potassium grocery items, and a $30 per week food allowance on blood pressure and other outcomes in African American adults with hypertension. Design We conducted an 8-week RCT with two parallel arms between May 2012 and November 2013. Setting/participants We randomized 123 African Americans with controlled hypertension from an urban primary care clinic in Baltimore, Maryland and implemented the trial in partnership with a community supermarket and the Baltimore City Health Department. Mean (SD) age was 58.6 (9.5) years, 71% were female, blood pressure was 131.3 (14.7)/77.2 (10.5) mmHg, BMI was 34.5 (8.2) kg/m2, and 28% had diabetes. Intervention Participants randomized to the active intervention group (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH]-Plus) received coach-directed dietary advice and assistance with weekly online ordering and purchasing of high-potassium foods ($30/week) delivered by a community supermarket to a neighborhood library. Participants in the control group received a printed DASH diet brochure along with debit account of equivalent value to that of the DASH-Plus group. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was blood pressure change. Analyses were conducted in January to October 2014. Results Compared with the control group, the DASH-Plus group increased self-reported consumption of fruits and vegetables (mean=1.4, 95% CI=0.7, 2.1 servings/day), estimated intake of potassium (mean=0.4, 95% CI=0.1, 0.7 grams/day), and urine potassium excretion (mean=19%, 95% CI=1%, 38%). There was no significant effect on blood pressure. Conclusions A program providing dietary advice, assistance with grocery ordering, and $30/week of high-potassium foods in African American patients with controlled hypertension in a community-based clinic did not

School Counseling for African American Adolescents: The Alfred Adler Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapp, Marty

2010-01-01

This article discusses how Adlerian counseling can be used as a form of school counseling for African American adolescents. Moreover, school counseling for African American adolescents is discussed within the context of African American culture. Due to the strength-based nature of Adlerian approach, it can capitalize on African American…

Tenancy and African American Marriage in the Postbellum South

PubMed Central

Bloome, Deirdre; Muller, Christopher

2015-01-01

The pervasiveness of tenancy in the postbellum South had countervailing effects on marriage between African Americans. Tenancy placed severe constraints on African American women’s ability to find independent agricultural work. Freedwomen confronted not only planters’ reluctance to contract directly with women but also whites’ refusal to sell land to African Americans. Marriage consequently became one of African American women’s few viable routes into the agricultural labor market. We find that the more counties relied on tenant farming, the more common was marriage among their youngest and oldest African American residents. However, many freedwomen resented their subordinate status within tenant marriages. Thus, we find that tenancy contributed to union dissolution as well as union formation among freedpeople. Microdata tracing individuals’ marital transitions are consistent with these county-level results. PMID:26223562

Tenancy and African American Marriage in the Postbellum South.

PubMed

Bloome, Deirdre; Muller, Christopher

2015-10-01

The pervasiveness of tenancy in the postbellum South had countervailing effects on marriage between African Americans. Tenancy placed severe constraints on African American women's ability to find independent agricultural work. Freedwomen confronted not only planters' reluctance to contract directly with women but also whites' refusal to sell land to African Americans. Marriage consequently became one of African American women's few viable routes into the agricultural labor market. We find that the more counties relied on tenant farming, the more common was marriage among their youngest and oldest African American residents. However, many freedwomen resented their subordinate status within tenant marriages. Thus, we find that tenancy contributed to union dissolution as well as union formation among freedpeople. Microdata tracing individuals' marital transitions are consistent with these county-level results.

Keeping the faith: African American faith leaders' perspectives and recommendations for reducing racial disparities in HIV/AIDS infection.

PubMed

Nunn, Amy; Cornwall, Alexandra; Chute, Nora; Sanders, Julia; Thomas, Gladys; James, George; Lally, Michelle; Trooskin, Stacey; Flanigan, Timothy

2012-01-01

In Philadelphia, 66% of new HIV infections are among African Americans and 2% of African Americans are living with HIV. The city of Philadelphia has among the largest numbers of faith institutions of any city in the country. Although faith-based institutions play an important role in the African American community, their response to the AIDS epidemic has historically been lacking. We convened 38 of Philadelphia's most influential African American faith leaders for in-depth interviews and focus groups examining the role of faith-based institutions in HIV prevention. Participants were asked to comment on barriers to engaging faith-based leaders in HIV prevention and were asked to provide normative recommendations for how African American faith institutions can enhance HIV/AIDS prevention and reduce racial disparities in HIV infection. Many faith leaders cited lack of knowledge about Philadelphia's racial disparities in HIV infection as a common reason for not previously engaging in HIV programs; others noted their congregations' existing HIV prevention and outreach programs and shared lessons learned. Barriers to engaging the faith community in HIV prevention included: concerns about tacitly endorsing extramarital sex by promoting condom use, lack of educational information appropriate for a faith-based audience, and fear of losing congregants and revenue as a result of discussing human sexuality and HIV/AIDS from the pulpit. However, many leaders expressed a moral imperative to respond to the AIDS epidemic, and believed clergy should play a greater role in HIV prevention. Many participants noted that controversy surrounding homosexuality has historically divided the faith community and prohibited an appropriate response to the epidemic; many expressed interest in balancing traditional theology with practical public health approaches to HIV prevention. Leaders suggested the faith community should: promote HIV testing, including during or after worship services and in

Keeping the Faith: African American Faith Leaders’ Perspectives and Recommendations for Reducing Racial Disparities in HIV/AIDS Infection

PubMed Central

Nunn, Amy; Cornwall, Alexandra; Chute, Nora; Sanders, Julia; Thomas, Gladys; James, George; Lally, Michelle; Trooskin, Stacey; Flanigan, Timothy

2012-01-01

In Philadelphia, 66% of new HIV infections are among African Americans and 2% of African Americans are living with HIV. The city of Philadelphia has among the largest numbers of faith institutions of any city in the country. Although faith-based institutions play an important role in the African American community, their response to the AIDS epidemic has historically been lacking. We convened 38 of Philadelphia’s most influential African American faith leaders for in-depth interviews and focus groups examining the role of faith-based institutions in HIV prevention. Participants were asked to comment on barriers to engaging faith-based leaders in HIV prevention and were asked to provide normative recommendations for how African American faith institutions can enhance HIV/AIDS prevention and reduce racial disparities in HIV infection. Many faith leaders cited lack of knowledge about Philadelphia’s racial disparities in HIV infection as a common reason for not previously engaging in HIV programs; others noted their congregations’ existing HIV prevention and outreach programs and shared lessons learned. Barriers to engaging the faith community in HIV prevention included: concerns about tacitly endorsing extramarital sex by promoting condom use, lack of educational information appropriate for a faith-based audience, and fear of losing congregants and revenue as a result of discussing human sexuality and HIV/AIDS from the pulpit. However, many leaders expressed a moral imperative to respond to the AIDS epidemic, and believed clergy should play a greater role in HIV prevention. Many participants noted that controversy surrounding homosexuality has historically divided the faith community and prohibited an appropriate response to the epidemic; many expressed interest in balancing traditional theology with practical public health approaches to HIV prevention. Leaders suggested the faith community should: promote HIV testing, including during or after worship services

Does making meaning make it better? Narrative meaning-making and well-being in at-risk African-American adolescent females

PubMed Central

Sales, Jessica M.; Merrill, Natalie A.; Fivush, Robyn

2012-01-01

It has been argued that, for certain people, attempts at making meaning about past life events, especially challenging events, might be detrimental to well-being. In this study we explored the association between narrative indicators of meaning-making and psychological well-being, while also considering the role of individual level factors such as life history, personality characteristics and locus of control, among an at-risk sample of low socioeconomic status inner-city African-American adolescent females with challenging lives. We found that having a more external locus of control and including more cognitive processing language in narratives about a highly negative past experience were associated with increased depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that certain types of narrative meaning-making language may reflect ongoing and unsuccessful efforts after meaning, and, may be more similar to rumination than to resolution. Additionally, they support claims that for certain individuals from challenging backgrounds, efforts after meaning might not be psychologically healthy. PMID:22897108

What is substance use all about? Assumptions in New York’s drug policies and the perceptions of drug using low-income African-Americans

PubMed Central

Windsor, Liliane Cambraia; Dunlap, Eloise

2010-01-01

The current paper uses intersectionality and standpoint theories to examine the social impact of solely relying on Eurocentric worldviews when developing drug policies that affect low-income African-American communities. It is argued that low-income African-Americans share a unique cultural and historical background that must be taken into account in the development and implementation of policies and interventions that impact this population. Analysis of longitudinal qualitative data will compare the assumptions informing New York’s Rockefeller Drug Laws with the worldviews of drug using and low-income African-Americans in New York City while examining the impact of these policies in participants’ lived experiences. PMID:20224744

Cognition and Health in African American Men

PubMed Central

Sims, Regina C.; Thorpe, Roland J.; Gamaldo, Alyssa A.; Aiken-Morgan, Adrienne T.; Hill, LaBarron K.; Allaire, Jason C.; Whitfield, Keith E.

2015-01-01

Objective Despite high rates of poor health outcomes, little attention has been focused on associations between prominent health factors and cognitive function in African American men, exclusively. The objective was to examine relationships between cardiovascular and pulmonary health, and cognitive function in African American men. Method Data from 257 men were pooled from two studies of African American aging. The mean age of participants was 58.15 and mean educational attainment was 11.78 years. Participants provided self-reported health and demographic information, completed cognitive measures, and had their blood pressure and peak expiratory flow assessed. Results After adjustment, significant relationships were found between average peak expiratory flow rate (APEFR) and cognitive performance measures. Discussion Results suggest that lung function is important to consider when examining cognitive function in African American men. Understanding the role of health in cognition and implications for quality of life in this population will be critical as life expectancies increase. PMID:25053802

Family Planning for Inner-City Adolescent Males: Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reis, Janet; And Others

1987-01-01

Describes a pilot family planning program in an inner-city pediatric practice. Male adolescents were more likely to accept contraceptives if the provider first raised the topic of birth control to them. Identified a desire for anonymity/confidentiality and embarrassment or discomfort as the key reasons for not seeking contraceptives. Emphasizes…

Representing African American Women in U.S. History Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schocker, Jessica B.; Woyshner, Christine

2013-01-01

This article addresses the dearth of African American women in high school U.S. history textbooks. The authors conducted a content analysis of the images in an African American history textbook and found that black women are underrepresented. Women are found in less than 15 percent of the images in the African American history text, while they…

The Teacher-Student Interactions and Academic Achievement of African American and African Immigrant Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Hassen

2017-01-01

This quantitative survey questionnaires study compared the teacher-student interactions (TSI) and academic achievement of African-American and African immigrant undergraduate males. The academic achievement gap between different population groups provided the impetus for the study. While African Americans have been described as under-achievers in…

Educating African American Males: A Dream Deferred.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milwaukee Public Schools, WI.

This document presents recommendations of the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) African American Male Task Force (MAAMTF), which reviewed from January through April of 1990 current educational efforts and recommended strategies by which schools could better address African American males' needs. The MAAMTF recommendations are to be implemented in two phases.…

A Mirror Image African American Student Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon Dawson, Candice

2012-01-01

This dissertation is a narrative inquiry research project that focuses on the collegiate experiences of African American students at both historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly white institutions (PWIs). I look at how African American college students who engage in race or culturally specific activities, the degree…

African American Culture and Heritage in Higher Education Research and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Kassie, Ed.

Fifteen papers examine the cultural context and history of African Americans in higher education research and practice. Papers are grouped in three parts: African American culture in higher education research; African American higher education research issues and paradigms; and African American culture and higher education policy and practice.…

African-American teen smokers: issues to consider for cessation treatment.

PubMed Central

Moolchan, E. T.; Berlin, I.; Robinson, M. L.; Cadet, J. L.

2000-01-01

Previous reports have indicated ethnic differences in both tobacco-related morbidity and treatment outcome for smoking cessation among adults. We assessed smoking-related characteristics in African-American and non-African American teenagers applying to a cessation trial. 115 teens (15.9 +/- 1.8 years, 68% females, 27% African-American) responded via telephone to media ads. Self-reported sociodemographic, medical and smoking-related data were obtained to determine pre-eligibility for a full intake screen prior to trial participation. Compared to non-African American, African American teen applicants were older (16.4 +/- 1.7 years versus 15.6 +/- 1.6; p = 0.015), had lower Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scores (5.3 +/- 2.3 versus 6.1 +/- 1.8; p = 0.018, ANOVA controlling for age) and smoked fewer cigarettes on the weekend (27 +/- 16 versus 38 +/- 17; p = 0.001). African American teens reported similar duration of smoking (3.3 +/- 1.4 versus 3.1 +/- 1.5 years) and time elapsed between first cigarette ever smoked and daily smoking (0.7 +/- 0.9 versus 0.6 +/- 0.7 years). African American and non-African American teens had similar motivation to quit scores and frequency of reported health problems (e.g., asthma, psychiatric conditions). These data suggest that cessation treatment programs designed for African American youth should include lower Fagerstrom-defined levels, and possibly other criteria for tobacco dependence. These observations also highlight the importance of ethnocultural issues in treatment research programs. PMID:11202758

The School Inner-City Asthma Intervention Study: Design, rationale, methods, and lessons learned.

PubMed

Phipatanakul, Wanda; Koutrakis, Petros; Coull, Brent A; Kang, Choong-Min; Wolfson, Jack M; Ferguson, Stephen T; Petty, Carter R; Samnaliev, Mihail; Cunningham, Amparito; Sheehan, William J; Gaffin, Jonathan M; Baxi, Sachin N; Lai, Peggy S; Permaul, Perdita; Liang, Liming; Thorne, Peter S; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Brennan, Kasey J; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Gold, Diane R

2017-09-01

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States, causes significant morbidity, particularly in the inner-city, and accounts for billions of dollars in health care utilization. Home environments are established sources of exposure that exacerbate symptoms and home-based interventions are effective. However, elementary school children spend 7 to 12h a day in school, primarily in one classroom. From the observational School Inner-City Asthma Study we learned that student classroom-specific exposures are associated with worsening asthma symptoms and decline in lung function. We now embark on a randomized, blinded, sham-controlled school environmental intervention trial, built on our extensively established school/community partnerships, to determine the efficacy of a school-based intervention to improve asthma control. This factorial school/classroom based environmental intervention will plan to enroll 300 students with asthma from multiple classrooms in 40 northeastern inner-city elementary schools. Schools will be randomized to receive either integrated pest management versus control and classrooms within these schools to receive either air purifiers or sham control. The primary outcome is asthma symptoms during the school year. This study is an unprecedented opportunity to test whether a community of children can benefit from school or classroom environmental interventions. If effective, this will have great impact as an efficient, cost-effective intervention for inner city children with asthma and may have broad public policy implications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HIV health crisis and African Americans: a cultural perspective.

PubMed

Plowden, K; Miller, J L; James, T

2000-01-01

While incidence of new HIV infections have decreased in the overall population, the numbers continue to rise in African-Americans creating a serious health emergency. Studies seem to imply that part of the rise is due to HIV beliefs and high risk behaviors among African Americans. Due to certain societal factors, African Americans appear to be at greater risk for contracting the virus. This article will examine these critical social factors and their impact on this current state of emergency in the African American community using Leininger's theory of Culture Care and Universality. Implications for health providers are also addressed.

ITV and Education of Children of Migrant Farm Workers, Indians, and Inner-City Poor: Cross-Cultural Comparisons of International Uses of Media. Volume I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackin, Eva; And Others

The possibility of using instructional television (ITV) as the core component in an instructional system designed to meet the special needs of the educationally disadvantaged children of migrant farm workers, of American Indians, and of the inner-city poor was appraised. The educational problems of each of these three groups were assessed and…

Equality for all? White Americans' willingness to address inequality with Asian and African Americans.

PubMed

Bikmen, Nida; Durkin, Kristine

2014-10-01

White Americans' willingness to engage in dialogues about intergroup commonalities and power inequalities with Asian and African Americans were examined in two experiments. Because Whites perceive that African Americans experience greater discrimination than do Asian Americans, we predicted that they would be more willing to engage in dialogues that would interrogate injustice and inequality with them. We also explored the role of common in-group identity (as Americans) on willingness for dialogue about inequality. In both studies, Whites were less interested in engaging in power talk with Asian Americans than with African Americans, but the difference in willingness for commonality talk was smaller. Asian Americans were perceived as experiencing lower levels of discrimination (Studies 1 and 2) and identify less with America (Study 2) both of which predicted lower willingness for power talk with them. Common in-group identity manipulations had marginal effects on willingness for power talk with African Americans and no effect on power talk with Asian Americans. Implications for improving social disparities between various groups were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Kidney allograft survival of African American and Caucasian American recipients with lupus.

PubMed

Contreras, G; Li, H; Gonzalez-Suarez, M; Isakova, T; Scialla, J J; Pedraza, F; Mattiazzi, A; Diaz-Wong, R; Sageshima, J; Brito, Y; Guerra, G; Acevedo, B; Sajid Ali, A; Kershaw, T J; Chen, L; Burke, G W; Kupin, W; Ciancio, G; Roth, D

2014-02-01

African Americans with lupus who receive kidney transplants have high prevalence of predictors of allograft failure, which can explain their poor outcomes. Of 1223 African Americans and 1029 Caucasian Americans with lupus who received kidney transplants from deceased donors between 1987 and 2006 with complete records in the UNOS program, 741 pairs were matched in 16 predictors employing a predicted probability of group membership. The primary outcome was allograft failure. Main secondary outcomes were rejection, allograft failure due to rejection, and mortality. Matched pairs were predominantly women (82%) with a mean age of 39 years. Twenty-four percent of recipients received kidneys from expanded criteria donors. African Americans and Caucasian Americans matched well (p ≥ 0.05): donor age, gender and race; recipient age, gender, education and insurance; dialysis prior to transplant, kidneys from expanded criteria donors, cold ischemia time, history of prior kidney transplant, panel reactive antibodies, human leukocyte antigens mismatch, blood type compatibility, transplant Era, and follow-up time. Contrary to the unmatched cohort with significantly higher allograft failure rate (events per 100 patient-years) in African Americans compared to Caucasian Americans (10.49 vs 6.18, p<0.001), matched pairs had similar allograft failure rates (8.41 vs 7.81, p=0.418). Matched pairs also had similar rates of rejections (9.82 vs 9.39, p=0.602), allograft failure due to rejection (6.19 vs 5.71, p=0.453), and mortality (2.79 vs 3.52, p=0.097). In lupus recipients of kidney transplants from deceased donors, African American and Caucasian Americans have similar allograft failure rates when predictors are matched between groups.

African American and Hispanic American sportsmen in the north central region

Treesearch

Allan Marsinko; John Dwyer

2003-01-01

Public forest managers need an awareness and understanding of their clients in order to better address their needs for recreational uses of forest lands. This study examines and characterizes African American and Hispanic American sportsmen (hunters and anglers) in the North Central Region of the United Stares (IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, WI) and compares them to African...

Training African-American Parents for Success. An Afrocentric Parenting Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Marquita

Being an African-American parent in White America is an issue that becomes complicated simply by the difference in cultural values and traditions passed down to African-American families that are generally contradictory to contemporary White American culture. This guide addresses a number of issues for African-American parents in the following…

Inner-City Independent Schools Educators' Job Satisfaction and Their Motivation to Quit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maforah, Tsholofelo Paulinah

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate the levels of job satisfaction of educators in the inner-city independent schools of Johannesburg and their motivation for leaving their jobs. A quantitative method was used for the study. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 educators from five schools that were randomly selected from a sample of twenty inner-city…

Work and Marital Happiness among African Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Richard E.

This study investigated the relationships between the employment statuses of African American husbands and wives, and their marital happiness. Data for 234 husbands and 292 wives were obtained from the 1980-86 General Social Surveys. The data corroborated earlier findings that African American husbands indicated greater marital happiness than did…

Hidden Education among African Americans during Slavery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundaker, Grey

2007-01-01

Background/Context: Historical studies examine aspects of African American education in and out of school in detail (Woodson 1915, 1933, Bullock 1970, Anderson 1988, Morris 1982, Rachal 1986, Rose 1964, Webber 1978, Williams 2005). Scholars of African American literacy have noted ways that education intersects other arenas such as religion and…

African American Teachers and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Michele

An overview is presented of research on African American teachers, addressing the large body of literature written by policy analysts, first-person narratives, and the sociological and anthropological literature. Policy research has identified the small number of African American teachers and has studied some reasons for this shortage and some of…

Searching for cures: Inner-city and rural patients' awareness and perceptions of cancer clinical trials.

PubMed

Geana, Mugur; Erba, Joseph; Krebill, Hope; Doolittle, Gary; Madhusudhana, Sheshadri; Qasem, Abdulraheem; Malomo, Nikki; Sharp, Denise

2017-03-01

Fewer than 5% of cancer patients participate in clinical trials, making it challenging to test new therapies or interventions for cancer. Even within that small number, patients living in inner-city and rural areas are underrepresented in clinical trials. This study explores cancer patients' awareness and perceptions of cancer clinical trials, as well as their perceptions of patient-provider interactions related to discussing cancer clinical trials in order to improve accrual in cancer clinical trials. Interviews with 66 former and current in inner-city and rural cancer patients revealed a lack of awareness and understanding about clinical trials, as well as misconceptions about what clinical trials entail. Findings also revealed that commercials and television shows play a prominent role in forming inner-city and rural patients' attitudes and/or misconceptions about clinical trials. However, rural patients were more likely to hold unfavorable views about clinical trials than inner-city patients. Patient-provider discussions emerged as being crucial for increasing awareness of clinical trials among patients and recruiting them to trials. Findings from this study will inform communication strategies to enhance recruitment to cancer clinical trials by increasing awareness and countering misconceptions about clinical trials.

Fostering Resilience among Youth in Inner City Community Arts Centers: The Case of the Artists Collective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Alison M.; Schechter, Rachel

2014-01-01

Growing up in an inner city environment can inhibit healthy development and have detrimental consequences for children and adolescents such as increased risks for many social and psychological problems. This article explores the role of community arts centers in fostering resilience among youth living in the inner city. A review of the literature…

Cultural variation in the social organization of problem solving among African American and European American siblings.

PubMed

Budak, Daniel; Chavajay, Pablo

2012-07-01

This study examined the social organization of a problem-solving task among 15 African American and 15 European American sibling pairs. The 30 sibling pairs between the ages of 6 and 12 were video recorded constructing a marble track together during a home visit. African American siblings were observed to collaborate more often than European American siblings who were more likely to divide up the labor and direct each other in constructing the marble track. In addition, older European American siblings made more proposals of step plans than older African American siblings. The findings provide insights into the cultural basis of the social organization of problem solving across African American and European American siblings.

Active smoking and survival following breast cancer among African American and non-African American women in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study.

PubMed

Parada, Humberto; Sun, Xuezheng; Tse, Chiu-Kit; Olshan, Andrew F; Troester, Melissa A; Conway, Kathleen

2017-09-01

To examine racial differences in smoking rates at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent survival among African American and non-African American women in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (Phases I/II), a large population-based North Carolina study. We interviewed 788 African American and 1,020 Caucasian/non-African American women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 1993 to 2000, to assess smoking history. After a median follow-up of 13.56 years, we identified 717 deaths using the National Death Index; 427 were breast cancer-related. We used Cox regression to examine associations between self-reported measures of smoking and breast cancer-specific survival within 5 years and up to 18 years after diagnosis conditional on 5-year survival. We examined race and estrogen receptor status as potential modifiers. Current (vs never) smoking was not associated with 5-year survival; however, risk of 13 year conditional breast cancer-specific mortality was elevated among women who were current smokers at diagnosis (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.06-2.25), compared to never smokers. Although smoking rates were similar among African American (22.0%) and non-African American (22.1%) women, risk of breast cancer-specific mortality was elevated among African American (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.00-2.85), but only weakly elevated among non-African American (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.70-2.14) current (vs. never) smokers (P Interaction  = 0.30). Risk of breast cancer-specific mortality was also elevated among current (vs never) smokers diagnosed with ER - (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.35-4.93), but not ER + (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.69-1.78) tumors (P Interaction  = 0.17). Smoking may negatively impact long-term survival following breast cancer. Racial differences in long-term survival, as related to smoking, may be driven by ER status, rather than by differences in smoking patterns.

The relationship between psychosocial factors and asthma morbidity in inner-city children with asthma.

PubMed

Weil, C M; Wade, S L; Bauman, L J; Lynn, H; Mitchell, H; Lavigne, J

1999-12-01

Children living in the inner city are affected disproportionately by asthma morbidity and mortality. Previous research has shown that behavioral and psychosocial factors affect asthma morbidity in children. The National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study investigated the factors that contribute to asthma morbidity among inner-city children. This article examines the relationship between psychosocial factors and asthma morbidity in this population. A total of 1528 English- and Spanish-speaking children 4 to 9 years of age with asthma and their primary caretakers were recruited from 8 research centers in 7 metropolitan inner-city areas in the United States. Psychosocial variables were assessed at baseline and included measures of child and caretaker mental health, caretaker's problems with alcohol, life stress, social support, and parenting style. Morbidity measures were evaluated at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up intervals. These included number of hospitalizations and unscheduled visits for asthma in the past 3 months and number of days of wheeze and functional status in the previous 2-week period. Of the psychosocial variables assessed, mental health had the strongest relationship to children's asthma morbidity. Children whose caretakers had clinically significant levels of mental health problems were hospitalized for asthma at almost twice the rate as children whose caretakers did not have significant mental health problems. Children with clinically significant behavior problems had significantly more days of wheeze and poorer functional status in the follow-up period. Psychosocial factors, particularly the mental health of children and caretakers, are significant factors in predicting asthma morbidity. They may need to be included in intervention programs aimed at decreasing asthma morbidity in inner-city children with asthma in order for these programs to be successful.

Participation in Community Arts: Lessons from the Inner-City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clennon, Ornette D.; Kagan, Carolyn; Lawthom, Rebecca; Swindells, Rachel

2016-01-01

In this paper, we critically reflect, through the lens of liberation psychology, on our experiences of using participative community arts in work with young people and intergenerational groups in inner-city Manchester, UK. We used mixed methods to examine the impact of and engagement with community arts in two projects. One study was quasi…

Defining Sexuality among Female Black Inner-City Young Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershenson, Harold P.; Handler, Arden

Adolescents are able to respond correctly to questions about pregnancy risk and contraceptive use, yet still engage in risk-taking behavior. One explanation for this phenomenon may be the existence of a personal fable. To explore the existence of the personal fable in inner-city female adolescents, 22 eighth grade black females in Chicago…

PROMISES AND PUZZLES, THE PLIGHT OF THE INNER-CITY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GALLOWAY, CHARLES

EMPHASIS ON THE PROBLEMS OF TEACHING CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED PUPILS HAS ONLY MADE THE TASK OF THE INNER-CITY TEACHER MORE DIFFICULT, AND HAS CREATED CONFUSION IN THE SCHOOLS REGARDING THE MEANS AND ENDS OF EDUCATION. NEGATIVE IDENTIFICATION OF THE SCHOOL AS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR OVERCOMING CULTURAL GAPS AND WEAKNESSES MAY BE PARTIALLY DUE TO…

Identity and Inner-City Youth: Beyond Ethnicity and Gender.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Shirley Brice, Ed.; McLaughlin, Milbrey W., Ed.

How ethnic identity and gender figure in building the embedded identities of youth in different contexts is examined, focusing on the self-concepts of inner-city youth. The voices of urban youth argue that their embedded identities, or multilayered self-conceptions, represent far more than simple labels of ethnic or racial membership. After an…

Measuring Attitudinal Change: A Sociolinguistic and Psycholinguistic Investigation into Perceptions of African American English and Academic English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latterman, Caroline Kennelly

2013-01-01

This experiment measured teachers' attitudes towards African American English and Academic English. Participants were graduate students of Education at a college in New York City. They completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire that assessed their explicit attitudes towards the two varieties, as well as a Psycholinguistic Experiment that was…

The Relationship between Pain, Disability, and Sex in African Americans.

PubMed

Walker, Janiece L; Thorpe, Roland J; Harrison, Tracie C; Baker, Tamara A; Cary, Michael; Szanton, Sarah L; Allaire, Jason C; Whitfield, Keith E

2016-10-01

Older African Americans consistently report diminished capacities to perform activities of daily living (ADL) compared with other racial groups. The extent to which bodily pain is related to declining abilities to perform ADL/ADL disability in African Americans remains unclear, as does whether this relationship exists to the same degree in African American men and women. For nurses to provide optimal care for older African Americans, a better understanding of the relationship between bodily pain and ADL disability and how it may differ by sex is needed. The aim of this study was to examine whether pain, age, education, income, marital status and/or comorbid conditions were associated with ADL disabilities in older African American women and men. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample included 598 participants (446 women, 152 men) from the first wave of the Baltimore Study on Black Aging. African American women (odds ratio [OR] = 4.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.63-6.26) and African American men (OR = 6.44; 95% CI = 2.84-14.57) who reported bodily pain had greater ADL disability than those who did not report bodily pain. Having two or more comorbid conditions also was significantly associated with ADL disability in African American women (OR = 3.95; 95% CI: 2.09-7.47). Further work is needed to understand pain differences between older African American women and men to develop interventions that can be tailored to meet the individual pain needs of both groups. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

African American Acculturation and Black Racial Identity: A Preliminary Investigation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope-Davis, Donald B.; Liu, William M.; Ledesma-Jones, Shannon; Nevitt, Jonathan

2000-01-01

Examines the relationship between acculturation and racial identity among African Americans. One hundred eighty-seven African American students completed the Black Racial Identity Attitude Scale and the African American Acculturation Scale (AAAS). Acculturation was associated with three of the five AAAS subscales: Dissonance, Immersion, and…

An Exploration of African American Students' Attitudes toward Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okwumabua, Theresa M.; Walker, Kristin M.; Hu, Xiangen; Watson, Andrea

2011-01-01

The current work presents exploratory research findings concerning African American students' attitudes toward online learning. The Online Tutoring Attitudes Scale (OTAS; Graff, 2003) was administered to 124 African American students in a positive youth development program. Findings suggest that African American students' attitudes toward…

Novel recurrently mutated genes in African American colon cancers.

PubMed

Guda, Kishore; Veigl, Martina L; Varadan, Vinay; Nosrati, Arman; Ravi, Lakshmeswari; Lutterbaugh, James; Beard, Lydia; Willson, James K V; Sedwick, W David; Wang, Zhenghe John; Molyneaux, Neil; Miron, Alexander; Adams, Mark D; Elston, Robert C; Markowitz, Sanford D; Willis, Joseph E

2015-01-27

We used whole-exome and targeted sequencing to characterize somatic mutations in 103 colorectal cancers (CRC) from African Americans, identifying 20 new genes as significantly mutated in CRC. Resequencing 129 Caucasian derived CRCs confirmed a 15-gene set as a preferential target for mutations in African American CRCs. Two predominant genes, ephrin type A receptor 6 (EPHA6) and folliculin (FLCN), with mutations exclusive to African American CRCs, are by genetic and biological criteria highly likely African American CRC driver genes. These previously unsuspected differences in the mutational landscapes of CRCs arising among individuals of different ethnicities have potential to impact on broader disparities in cancer behaviors.

The management of hypertension in African Americans.

PubMed

Ferdinand, Keith C; Armani, Annemarie M

2007-06-01

The prevalence of hypertension in blacks in the United States is among the highest in the world. Compared with whites, blacks develop hypertension at an earlier age, their average blood pressures are much higher and they experience worse disease severity. Consequently, blacks have a 1.3 times greater rate of nonfatal stroke, 1.8 times greater rate of fatal stroke, 1.5 times greater rate of heart disease death, 4.2 times greater rate of end-stage kidney disease, and a 50% higher frequency of heart failure; overall, mortality due to hypertension and its consequences is 4 to 5 times more likely in African Americans than in whites. The increased prevalence of hypertension and excessive target organ damage is due to a combination of genetic and, most likely, environmental factors. There are no clinical trial data at present to suggest that lower-than-usual BP targets should be set for high-risk demographic groups such as African Americans. The primary means of prevention and early treatment of hypertension in African Americans will be the appropriate use of lifestyle modification. The International Society of Hypertension in Blacks guidelines realize that most patients will require combination therapy, many of them first-line, to reach appropriate BP goals. Although certain classes and combinations of antihypertensive agents have been well-established to be effective, the choice of drugs for combination therapy in African American patients may be different. Within the African American group, the responsiveness to monotherapy with ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and beta blockers may be less than the responsiveness to diuretics and calcium channel blockers, but these differences are corrected when diuretics are added to the neurohormonal antagonists. Of note, African American patients with systolic BP >15 mm Hg or a diastolic BP >10 mm Hg above goal should be treated with first-line combination therapy.

20 African-Americans Your Students Should Meet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardeen, Tara

2008-01-01

There is more to Black History Month than honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Black History Month is a time to honor the significant contributions of African-Americans throughout history. This article presents 20 super-achievers new generation of African-Americans heroes students should meet: (1) Kimberly Oliver; (2) John Lewis; (3) Rita Dove; (4)…

Advancing breast cancer survivorship among African-American women.

PubMed

Coughlin, Steven S; Yoo, Wonsuk; Whitehead, Mary S; Smith, Selina A

2015-09-01

Advances have occurred in breast cancer survivorship but, for many African-American women, challenges and gaps in relevant information remain. This article identifies opportunities to address disparities in breast cancer survival and quality of life, and thereby to increase breast cancer survivorship among African-American women. For breast cancer survivors, common side effects, lasting for long periods after cancer treatment, include fatigue, loss of strength, difficulty sleeping, and sexual dysfunction. For addressing physical and mental health concerns, a variety of interventions have been evaluated, including exercise and weight training, dietary interventions, yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction, and support groups or group therapy. Obesity has been associated with breast cancer recurrence and poorer survival. Relative to white survivors, African-American breast cancer survivors are more likely to be obese and less likely to engage in physical activity, although exercise improves overall quality of life and cancer-related fatigue. Considerable information exists about the effectiveness of such interventions for alleviating distress and improving quality of life among breast cancer survivors, but few studies have focused specifically on African-American women with a breast cancer diagnosis. Studies have identified a number of personal factors that are associated with resilience, increased quality of life, and positive adaptation to a breast cancer diagnosis. There is a need for a better understanding of breast cancer survivorship among African-American women. Additional evaluations of interventions for improving the quality of life and survival of African-American breast cancer survivors are desirable.

African American leadership groups: smoking with the enemy

PubMed Central

Yerger, V; Malone, R

2002-01-01

Background: Among all racial and ethnic groups in the USA, African Americans bear the greatest burden from tobacco related disease. The tobacco industry has been highly influential in the African American community for decades, providing funding and other resources to community leaders and emphasising publicly its support for civil rights causes and groups, while ignoring the negative health effects of its products on those it claims to support. However, the industry's private business reasons for providing such support were unknown. Objective: To understand how and for what purposes the tobacco industry sought to establish and maintain relationships with African American leaders. Methods: Review and analysis of over 700 previously secret internal tobacco industry documents available on the internet. Results: The tobacco industry established relationships with virtually every African American leadership organisation and built longstanding social connections with the community, for three specific business reasons: to increase African American tobacco use, to use African Americans as a frontline force to defend industry policy positions, and to defuse tobacco control efforts. Conclusion: As the tobacco industry expands its global reach, public health advocates should anticipate similar industry efforts to exploit the vulnerabilities of marginalised groups. The apparent generosity, inclusion, and friendship proffered by the industry extract a price from groups in the health of their members. Helping groups anticipate such efforts, confront industry co-optation, and understand the hidden costs of accepting tobacco industry largesse should be part of worldwide tobacco control efforts. PMID:12432159

Family Life Education for Young Inner-City Teens: Identifying Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herz, Elicia J.; Reis, Janet S.

1987-01-01

Sexual decision making, perceptions of responsibility for birth control and pregnancy, and knowledge of contraception and the consequences of teenage pregnancy were assessed among 251 high-risk seventh- and eighth-grade Black, inner-city adolescents to determine these young peoples' need for information. (Author/LMO)

Parental endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing problems in African American and Hispanic families.

PubMed

Coley, Rebekah Levine; Kull, Melissa A; Carrano, Jennifer

2014-02-01

This study assessed prospective, bidirectional associations between maternal endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in low-income urban African American and Hispanic (N = 592) families drawn from the Three City Study. Children in sample families were followed from early childhood through middle childhood with 3 sets of interviews and assessments at ages 3, 4, and 9 years. Cross-lagged path analyses tested longitudinal bidirectional associations between parental endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing problems, with multigroup comparisons employed to test group differences between race/ethnic groups. African American and Hispanic mothers showed similar endorsements of spanking. Results suggest that associations between spanking endorsement and child functioning were due primarily to parenting effects, with spanking predicting changes in children's behaviors, rather than child evocative effects, with limited evidence of child behaviors predicting changes in parental spanking. Maternal spanking endorsement predicted short-term decreases in children's internalizing problems in early childhood, but over the longer term spanking was associated with increased internalizing and externalizing problems for both African American and Hispanic children in middle childhood among economically disadvantaged families.

Accepting transitions: African Americans discuss end of life.

PubMed

Yancu, Cecile N; Farmer, Deborah F; Graves, Mara J; Rhinehardt, April; Leahman, Dee

2015-06-01

African Americans typically underuse hospice care; this study explores their end of life attitudes. An iterative focus group strategy generated qualitative data using 4 baseline groups and 1 confirmatory focus group recruited from predominantly African American churches. Each group consisted of 8 to 14 adults. Investigators analyzed data for dominant themes, representatives from baseline groups returned to discuss the results. A total of 43 African Americans (male: 8 [18.6]; female: 35 [81.4]) participated in initial discussions, with 10 returning for follow-up. The prevailing theme was transitions; with life to death dominating discourse; other themes included curative to palliative care and acceptance of death as inevitable. Among African Americans, outreach efforts may be strengthened by reframing the dying process as the product of many transitions and reaching out to faith-based communities. © The Author(s) 2014.

African Americans' perception of risk for diabetes complications.

PubMed

Calvin, Donna; Quinn, Lauretta; Dancy, Barbara; Park, Chang; Fleming, Shirley G; Smith, Eva; Fogelfeld, Leon

2011-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive, correlational study was to describe the perceived risk for diabetes complications among urban African American adults (18-75 years old) with type 2 diabetes and to explore the interrelationships among illness perception, well-being, perceptions of risk for diabetes complications, and selected physiologic measures of diabetes risk: hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, and microalbuminuria. Urban African American adults with type 2 diabetes (N = 143) were recruited from 3 Chicago city public health clinics. They completed a demographic survey and 3 instruments: the Risk Perception Survey-Diabetes Mellitus, the 12-item Well-being Questionnaire, and the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire. Physiologic measures included blood pressure, urine for microalbuminuria, and capillary blood for A1C. There was low perception of risk for diabetes complications, which was incongruent with the physiologic measures of risk. Less than 33% of participants saw themselves as being at high risk for developing any complications of diabetes, with the exception of vision problems (39%), despite the fact that physiologic measures of risk for diabetes complications were high in this sample. Risk perception was associated with well-being, perception of negative consequences, number of symptoms, and negative emotions related to diabetes. Risk perception was not in line with risk, as indicated by physiologic measures; thus, it is necessary to heighten this population's perception of risk for diabetes complications.

"I Feel Nervous... Very Nervous" Addressing Test Anxiety in Inner City Schools through Play and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lobman, Carrie

2014-01-01

The intense focus on standardized tests has created a culture of anxiety in many inner-city schools. This article presents the findings of a case study of a test anxiety program that helped inner-city students and staffs deal more productively with anxiety through play, performance, and team building. According to the findings, the program created…

Toward improved interpretation and theory building of African American male sexualities.

PubMed

Lewis, Linwood J; Kertzner, Robert M

2003-11-01

This paper examined five challenges to clear understanding of African American male sexualities: incorrect assumptions of African American homogeneity; an underemphasis on developmental change, the contexts and the meanings of sexual behaviors; and a lack of compelling theoretical grounding for African American sexualities. Critical elements for effective theorizing and research about African American sexualities (i.e. multiple levels of analysis, examination of phenomenological meaning of sexuality, measurement of dynamic/developmental change) were outlined and candidate theories within sexual science (social exchange theories, symbolic interactionism, sexual scripting theory) were analyzed in light of these elements. It is suggested that a re-orientation of sex research about African American men using these elements will result in improved understanding of African American sexualities in multiple contexts.

Indigenous Systems within the African-American Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marbley, Aretha Faye; Rouson, Leon

2011-01-01

For the African-American family, life ain't been no crystal stair. The African-American family has trotted for over 400 years through a wilderness of racism, poverty, discrimination of all kinds, crossing seas of monsters and forests of demons. Yet, despite the numerous obstacles and attacks that society has mounted against it since slavery, the…

Gender-Based Salary Differences in African American Senior Student Affairs Officers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reason, Robert D.

2003-01-01

Study examined representation and salary differences related to gender for African American Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs). Data from a national survey revealed gender and institutional size significantly affect mean SSAO salary for African American respondents. African American women SSAOs make significantly less than African American…

Perceptions of Domestic Violence: A Dialogue with African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bent-Goodley, Tricia B.

2004-01-01

Although empirical research has accumulated over the past 20 years regarding African Americans and domestic violence, many questions remain about African American perceptions of domestic violence. This article explores African American women's perceptions about domestic violence through three focus groups held at a New York social services agency.…

Technology Integration in a Southern Inner-City School: Perspectives of In-service and Preservice Teachers

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-25

effectiveness of technology in the classroom for educating inner-city students, including the training of teachers to use this technology safely and effectively...with greater success; and second, that the availability of technology for these students far outpaced the training of the teachers who must use...inner-city students, including the training of teachers to use this technology safely and effectively. The purpose of the chapter is to examine the

Accelerated Health Declines among African Americans in the USA.

PubMed

Thorpe, Roland J; Fesahazion, Ruth G; Parker, Lauren; Wilder, Tanganiyka; Rooks, Ronica N; Bowie, Janice V; Bell, Caryn N; Szanton, Sarah L; LaVeist, Thomas A

2016-10-01

The weathering hypothesis, an explanation for race disparities in the USA, asserts that the health of African Americans begin to deteriorate prematurely compared to whites as a consequence of long-term exposure to social and environmental risk factors. Using data from 2000-2009 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS), we sought to describe differences in age-related health outcomes in 619,130 African Americans and whites. Outcome measures included hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Using a mixed models approach to age-period-cohort analysis, we calculated age- and race-specific prevalence rates that accounted for the complex sampling design of NHIS. African Americans exhibited higher prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, and stroke than whites across all age groups. Consistent with the weathering hypothesis, African Americans exhibited equivalent prevalence rates for these three conditions 10 years earlier than whites. This suggests that African Americans are acquiring age-related conditions prematurely compared to whites.

The Hidden Side of Zero Tolerance Policies: The African American Perspective

PubMed Central

Bell, Charles

2015-01-01

Several papers have documented the disproportionate representation of African Americans in school discipline and incarceration settings as a result of zero tolerance policies. In 2009, a federal study of the Chicago Public School system found African American boys represented 23 percent of the school age population, 44 percent of students who were suspended, and 61 percent of students who were expelled within the 2007 school year. Twenty years after the implementation of the Anti-Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and 1988, studies show African Americans comprised a startling 74 percent of those incarcerated for drug offenses despite being only 15 percent of America’s drug users. Despite overwhelming evidence that suggests African Americans are adversely affected by zero tolerance policies, African American perceptions of zero tolerance policies remain relatively hidden in the literature. The current review seeks to explore a seemingly bidirectional process that involves how zero tolerance impacts African Americans and how African Americans perceive zero tolerance policies. PMID:25893006

Contagious Anxiety: Anxious European Americans Can Transmit Their Physiological Reactivity to African Americans.

PubMed

West, Tessa V; Koslov, Katrina; Page-Gould, Elizabeth; Major, Brenda; Mendes, Wendy Berry

2017-12-01

During interracial encounters, well-intentioned European Americans sometimes engage in subtle displays of anxiety, which can be interpreted as signs of racial bias by African American partners. In the present research, same-race and cross-race stranger dyads ( N = 123) engaged in getting-acquainted tasks, during which measures of sympathetic nervous system responses (preejection period, PEP) and heart rate variability were continuously collected. PEP scores showed that African American partners had stronger physiological linkage to European American partners who evidenced greater anxiety-greater cortisol reactivity, behavioral tension, and self-reported discomfort-which suggests greater physiological responsiveness to momentary changes in partners' affective states when those partners were anxious. European Americans showed physiological linkage to African American and European American partners, but linkage did not vary as a function of their partner's anxiety. Using physiological linkage offers a novel approach to understanding how affective responses unfold during dynamic intergroup interactions.

African American or Female: How Do We Identify Ourselves?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Sharon L.; And Others

African American female college students attending either a predominantly African American or predominantly White coed institution were surveyed about their racial identity levels, sex role attitude levels, and perceptions of racism and sexism in a school-related vignette. There were 95 participants from the predominantly African American…

Outcomes in African Americans and Hispanics with lupus nephritis.

PubMed

Contreras, G; Lenz, O; Pardo, V; Borja, E; Cely, C; Iqbal, K; Nahar, N; de La Cuesta, C; Hurtado, A; Fornoni, A; Beltran-Garcia, L; Asif, A; Young, L; Diego, J; Zachariah, M; Smith-Norwood, B

2006-05-01

Poor outcomes have been reported in African Americans and Hispanics compared to Caucasians with lupus nephritis. The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to identify independent predictors of outcomes in African Americans and Hispanics with lupus nephritis. In total, 93 African Americans, 100 Hispanics, and 20 Caucasians with a mean age of 28 +/- 13 years and an annual household income of 32.9 +/- 17.3 (in 1000 US dollars) were studied. World Health Organization (WHO) lupus nephritis classes II, III, IV, and V were seen in 9, 13, 52, and 26%, respectively. Important baseline differences were higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) in African Americans compared to Hispanics and Caucasians (107 +/- 19, 102 +/- 15, and 99 +/- 13 mmHg, P < 0.05), and higher serum creatinine (1.66 +/- 1.3, 1.25 +/- 1.0, and 1.31 +/- 1.0 mg/dl, P < 0.025). African Americans had lower hematocrit compared to Hispanics and Caucasians (29 +/- 5, and 31 +/- 6, and 32 +/- 7%, P < 0.05), and lower annual household income (30.8 +/- 14.9, 33.1 +/- 15.9, and 42.2 +/- 29.3 in 1000 US dollars; P < 0.05). Lower prevalence of WHO class IV was seen in Caucasians (30%) compared to Hispanics (57%, P = 0.03) and African Americans (51%, P = 0.09). Development of doubling creatinine or end-stage renal disease was higher in African Americans and Hispanics than in Caucasians (31, 18, and 10%; P < 0.05), as was the development of renal events or death (34, 20, and 10%; P < 0.025). Our results suggest that both biological factors indicating an aggressive disease and low household income are common in African Americans and Hispanics with lupus nephritis, and outcomes in these groups are worse than in Caucasians.

Characterizing the learning styles and testing the science-related attitudes of African American middle school students: Implications for the underrepresentation of African Americans in the sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perine, Donald Ray

African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and women are underrepresented among the population of scientists and science teachers in the United States. Specifically, the shortage of African Americans teaching math and science at all levels of the educational process and going into the many science-related fields is manifested throughout the entire educational and career structure of our society. This shortage exists when compared to the total population of African Americans in this country, the population of African American students, and to society's demand for more math and science teachers and professionals of all races. One suggestion to address this problem is to update curricular and instructional programs to accommodate the learning styles of African Americans from elementary to graduate school. There is little in the published literature to help us understand the learning styles of African American middle school students and how they compare to African American adults who pursue science careers. There is also little published data to help inform us about the relationship between learning styles of African American middle school students and their attitudes toward science. The author used a learning styles inventory instrument to identify the learning style preferences of the African American students and adults. The preferences identified describe how African American students and African American adult science professionals prefer to function, learn, concentrate, and perform in their educational and work activities in the areas of: (a) immediate environment, (b) emotionality, (c) sociological needs, and (d) physical needs. The learning style preferences for the students and adults were not significantly different in key areas of preference. A Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA) was used to measure seven distinct science-related attitudes of the middle school students. A comparison of the profile of the mean scores for the students in this study

Examining causes of the urban (inner city) asthma epidemic: Implementing new management strategies

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Asthma in the inner city contributes to high morbidity and mortality, and, in school children, reduced school attendance and alteration in academic performance. There is a need to improve asthma care in the inner city by reducing asthma exacerbations. Methods are currently available to predict and prevent seasonal exacerbations of asthma. In addition, new medications are being developed that will be effective in improving pulmonary function and reducing asthma exacerbations. School-centered asthma programs can also be helpful to assist children and clinicians in applying asthma treatment plans and assuring optimal adherence to these plans. PMID:26831839

A Phenomenological Study: African-American Males in the Educational Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Kristopher

2012-01-01

This phenomenological research study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American male teachers related to the underrepresentation of African-American males in the teaching profession. The study was guided by four research questions. The data was collected from 15 African-American male teachers at the elementary school level,…

'Rise 'n' Shine: Catholic Education and the African-American Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chineworth, Mary Alice, Ed.

African-Americans have been present in Catholic schools since their beginnings in the United States. The six essays in this book examine Catholic education from the perspective of the African-American Catholic. The essays underscore the continued challenge for continuing Catholic schools in the African-American community. They include: (1) an…

Teacher Education from an African American Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilliard, Asa G., III

This paper focuses on African education and socialization processes and how these have evolved and spread through the African cultural diaspora to other parts of the world, before, during, and after the slave trade and the colonial period. The history of education on the African continent is explored, followed by African American education, and…

Assessment of the Status of African-Americans. Volume III: The Education of African-Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willie, Charles V., Ed.; Garibaldi, Antoine M., Ed.; Reed, Wornie L., Ed.

In 1987 a project was undertaken to assess the status of African Americans in the United States in the topical areas to be addressed by the National Research Council's Study Committee on the Status of Black Americans: education, employment, income and occupations, political participation and the administration of justice, social and cultural…

33 CFR 165.T11-504 - Safety zone; Independence Day Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner Harbor, Richmond, CA. (a) Location. This temporary safety zone is established for the navigable waters of Richmond Inner Harbor near Richmond, CA as... Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner Harbor, Richmond, CA. 165.T11-504 Section 165...

33 CFR 165.T11-504 - Safety zone; Independence Day Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner Harbor, Richmond, CA. (a) Location. This temporary safety zone is established for the navigable waters of Richmond Inner Harbor near Richmond, CA as... Fireworks Celebration for the City of Richmond, Richmond Inner Harbor, Richmond, CA. 165.T11-504 Section 165...

Exploring How African American Faculty Cope with Classroom Racial Stressors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Chavella T.

2010-01-01

This study was an examination of how African American faculty discussed their coping with racially stressful classrooms. Despite aims for racial equality in higher education, the classroom has been a significant site of racial stressors for African American facility. Analysis of interviews with 16 (8 women, 8 men) African American faculty at a…

African American Single Mothers Raising Sons: Implications for Family Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gantt, Ann L.; Greif, Geoffrey L.

2009-01-01

Being raised by a single mother is one factor that has been suggested as contributing to the plight of African American males. Yet few studies have focused specifically on African American single mothers' experiences with raising sons. This qualitative study explored the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of African American single…

Black Lives Matter: Teaching African American Literature and the Struggle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

In theorizing how we should pedagogically approach African American literature, especially in courses for undergraduates, I argue that we have to move away from questions of what was or even what is African American literature and, instead, find ways to teach African American literature in both its historical contexts--artistic and political--and…

From Crisis to Empowerment: African American Women in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Marcie Ann

2012-01-01

Social challenges tear at the fabric of the African American family, revealing complexities that identify a de facto leader, the African American woman. She exists in a chasm of overt circumstances which heavily influences her successes. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that motivated seven female African American community college…

Knowing is not enough: a qualitative report on HIV testing among heterosexual African-American men

PubMed Central

Bond, Keosha T.; Frye, Victoria; Taylor, Raekiela; Williams, Kim; Bonner, Sebastian; Lucy, Debbie; Cupid, Malik; Weiss, Linda; Koblin, Beryl A.

2015-01-01

Despite having higher rates of HIV testing than all other racial groups, African-Americans continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the United States. Knowing one’s status is the key step to maintaining behavioral changes that could stop the spread of the virus, yet little is known about the individual- and socio-structural-level barriers associated with HIV testing and communication among heterosexual African-American men. To address this and inform the development of an HIV prevention behavioral intervention for heterosexual African-American men, we conducted computerized, structured interviews with 61 men, focus group interviews with 25 men in 5 different groups, and in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 men living in high HIV prevalence neighborhoods in New York City. Results revealed that HIV testing was frequent among the participants. Even with high rates of testing, the men in the study had low levels of HIV knowledge; perceived little risk of HIV; and misused HIV testing as a prevention method. Factors affecting HIV testing, included stigma, relationship dynamics and communication, and societal influences, suggesting that fear, low perception of risk, and HIV stigma may be the biggest barriers to HIV testing. These results also suggest that interventions directed toward African-American heterosexual men must address the use of “testing as prevention” as well as correct misunderstandings of the window period and the meaning of HIV test results, and interventions should focus on communicating about HIV. PMID:25298014

Is No Child Left Behind "Wise Schooling" for African American Male Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillian, M. Monique

2004-01-01

To improve achievement among African American students, education professionals must pay special attention to African American male achievement and reframe the academic achievement gap as a treatment gap. Engagement studies suggest that African American students, and African American boys in particular, are susceptible to academic disengagement.…

A Genome-Wide Breast Cancer Scan in African Americans

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

SNPs from the African American breast cancer scan to COGs , a European collaborative study which is has designed a SNP array with that will be genotyped...Award Number: W81XWH-08-1-0383 TITLE: A Genome-wide Breast Cancer Scan in African Americans PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Christopher A...SUBTITLE A Genome-wide Breast Cancer Scan in African Americans 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-08-1-0383 5c. PROGRAM

The association between discrimination and PTSD in African Americans: exploring the role of gender.

PubMed

Brooks Holliday, Stephanie; Dubowitz, Tamara; Haas, Ann; Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie; DeSantis, Amy; Troxel, Wendy M

2018-02-28

Research has demonstrated the adverse impact that discrimination has on physical and mental health. However, few studies have examined the association between discrimination and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is evidence that African Americans experience higher rates of PTSD and are more likely to develop PTSD following trauma exposure than Whites, and discrimination may be one reason for this disparity. To examine the association between discrimination and PTSD among a cross-sectional sample largely comprising African American women, controlling for other psychosocial stressors (psychological distress, neighborhood safety, crime). A sample of 806 participants was recruited from two low-income predominantly African American neighborhoods. Participants completed self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, perceived discrimination, perceived safety, and psychological distress. Information on neighborhood crime was obtained through data requested from the city. Multivariate linear regression models were estimated to assess adjusted relationships between PTSD symptoms and discrimination. Discrimination was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms with a small effect size, controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables. This association remained consistent after controlling for psychological distress, perceived safety, and total neighborhood crime. There was no evidence of a gender by discrimination interaction. Participants who experienced any discrimination were significantly more likely to screen positive for PTSD. Discrimination may contribute to the disparate rates of PTSD experienced by African Americans. PTSD is associated with a range of negative consequences, including poorer physical health, mental health, and quality of life. These results suggest the importance of finding ways to promote resilience in this at-risk population.

Advancing Breast Cancer Survivorship among African American Women

PubMed Central

Coughlin, Steven S.; Yoo, Wonsuk; Whitehead, Mary S.; Smith, Selina A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Advances have occurred in breast cancer survivorship but, for many African American women, challenges and gaps in relevant information remain. Methods This article identifies opportunities to address disparities in breast cancer survival and quality of life, and thereby to increase breast cancer survivorship among African American women. Results For breast cancer survivors, common side effects, lasting for long periods after cancer treatment, include fatigue, loss of strength, difficulty sleeping, and sexual dysfunction. For addressing physical and mental health concerns, a variety of interventions have been evaluated, including exercise and weight training, dietary interventions, yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction, and support groups or group therapy. Obesity has been associated with breast cancer recurrence and poorer survival. Relative to white survivors, African American breast cancer survivors are more likely to be obese and less likely to engage in physical activity, although exercise improves overall quality of life and cancer-related fatigue. Considerable information exists about the effectiveness of such interventions for alleviating distress and improving quality of life among breast cancer survivors, but few studies have focused specifically on African American women with a breast cancer diagnosis. Studies have identified a number of personal factors that are associated with resilience, increased quality of life, and positive adaptation to a breast cancer diagnosis. Conclusions There is a need for a better understanding of breast cancer survivorship among African American women. Additional evaluations of interventions for improving the quality of life and survival of African American breast cancer survivors are desirable. PMID:26303657

Metabolic Syndrome Risk Profiles Among African American Adolescents

PubMed Central

Fitzpatrick, Stephanie L.; Lai, Betty S.; Brancati, Frederick L.; Golden, Sherita H.; Hill-Briggs, Felicia

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE Although African American adolescents have the highest prevalence of obesity, they have the lowest prevalence of metabolic syndrome across all definitions used in previous research. To address this paradox, we sought to develop a model of the metabolic syndrome specific to African American adolescents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003–2010) of 822 nonpregnant, nondiabetic, African American adolescents (45% girls; aged 12 to 17 years) who underwent physical examinations and fasted at least 8 h were analyzed. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to model metabolic syndrome and then used latent profile analysis to identify metabolic syndrome risk groups among African American adolescents. We compared the risk groups on probability of prediabetes. RESULTS The best-fitting metabolic syndrome model consisted of waist circumference, fasting insulin, HDL, and systolic blood pressure. We identified three metabolic syndrome risk groups: low, moderate, and high risk (19% boys; 16% girls). Thirty-five percent of both boys and girls in the high-risk groups had prediabetes, a significantly higher prevalence compared with boys and girls in the low-risk groups. Among adolescents with BMI higher than the 85th percentile, 48 and 36% of boys and girls, respectively, were in the high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a plausible model of the metabolic syndrome specific to African American adolescents. Based on this model, approximately 19 and 16% of African American boys and girls, respectively, are at high risk for having the metabolic syndrome. PMID:23093663

PARTICLE CONCENTRATIONS IN INNER-CITY HOMES OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA: THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING, COOKING, AND OUTDOOR POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

Inner-city children have high rates of asthma. Exposures to particles, including allergens, may cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. As part of an epidemiologic study of inner-city children with asthma, continuous (10-min average) measurements of particle concentrations were made...

"And let me see them damn papers!" The role of STI/AIDS screening among urban African American and Puerto Rican youth in the transition to sex without a condom.

PubMed

Abraham, Traci; Macauda, Mark; Erickson, Pamela; Singer, Merrill

2011-10-01

Common strategies employed in preventing STI/AIDS transmission among young adults in America include abstinence, monogamy and safer sex. These strategies require a high level of vigilance and responsibility and, according to inner city participants in Project PHRESH.comm, neither option is always desirable, available, or rational in the context of their lived experiences. This article reports findings from Project PHRESH.comm, a mixed-method, ethnographic study incorporating data from focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, coital diaries, systematic cultural assessments and a structured survey designed to explore concepts of risk and decision making about condom use among at risk African American and Puerto Rican young adults aged 18-25 years in Hartford, CT. We found that many young adults from our study population rely on a strategy of using clinic-sponsored STI/AIDS screening when wanting to discontinue condom use with a partner. While our data suggest that screening is a common strategy used by many couples to transition to having sex without a condom, the data also show that most youth do not maintain monogamy even in long-term, serious relationships. Thus, sharing test results may provide a false sense of security in the sexual culture of inner city, minority youth.

Designing Effective Library Services for African American Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes-Hassell, Sandra

2013-01-01

President Obama signed the "White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans" on July 26, 2012. This executive order recognizes that many "African Americans lack equal access to highly effective teachers and principals, safe schools, and challenging college preparatory classes, and disproportionately experience…

African American Males in Counseling: Who's Pulling the Trigger Now?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bethea-Whitfield, Patricia

African American males face numerous challenges to their physical and psychological well-being. This project is a survey of the literature and trends relative to African American males from 1987 to the present. In reviewing the fifteen years since Parham and McDavis published their now famous article on African American men as an endangered…

Advancing understanding of the sustainability of lay health advisor (LHA) programs for African-American women in community settings.

PubMed

Shelton, Rachel C; Charles, Thana-Ashley; Dunston, Sheba King; Jandorf, Lina; Erwin, Deborah O

2017-09-01

Lay health advisor (LHA) programs have made strong contributions towards the elimination of health disparities and are increasingly being implemented to promote health and prevent disease. Developed in collaboration with African-American survivors, the National Witness Project (NWP) is an evidence-based, community-led LHA program that improves cancer screening among African-American women. NWP has been successfully disseminated, replicated, and implemented nationally in over 40 sites in 22 states in diverse community settings, reaching over 15,000 women annually. We sought to advance understanding of barriers and facilitators to the long-term implementation and sustainability of LHA programs in community settings from the viewpoint of the LHAs, as well as the broader impact of the program on African-American communities and LHAs. In the context of a mixed-methods study, in-depth telephone interviews were conducted among 76 African-American LHAs at eight NWP sites at baseline and 12-18 months later, between 2010 and 2013. Qualitative data provides insight into inner and outer contextual factors (e.g., community partnerships, site leadership, funding), implementation processes (e.g., training), as well as characteristics of the intervention (e.g., perceived need and fit in African-American community) and LHAs (e.g., motivations, burnout) that are perceived to impact the continued implementation and sustainability of NWP. Factors at the contextual levels and related to motivations of LHAs are critical to the sustainability of LHA programs. We discuss how findings are used to inform (1) the development of the LHA Sustainability Framework and (2) strategies to support the continued implementation and sustainability of evidence-based LHA interventions in community settings.

Asthma Outcomes at an Inner-City School-Based Health Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lurie, Nicole; Bauer, Ellen Jones; Brady, Cynthia

2001-01-01

Measured asthma outcomes after initiating an inner-city elementary school health center that emphasized asthma detection and treatment. Pre- and post-intervention comparison of students indicated that: hospitalization rates for asthma decreased; outpatient visits for care in the absence of symptoms doubled; numbers of students seeing an asthma…

Sociostructural factors influencing health behaviors of urban African-American men.

PubMed

Plowden, Keith O; Young, Anthony E

2003-06-01

African-American men are suffering disproportionately from most illnesses. Seemingly, action is needed if health disparities that disproportionately affect African-American men as compared to their White and female counterparts are to be reduced or eliminated. An important step in decreasing common health disparities evidenced among African-American men is to understand social factors that act as motivators and barriers to seeking care for most of this vulnerable population. Following a constructionist epistemology, this study used ethnography to explore social structure factors that motivate urban African-American men to seek care. Leininger's Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory guided this study. Qualitative interviews were conducted with urban African-American men and other individuals in the community to explore understanding, attitudes, and beliefs about health. Critical issues examined included social factors associated with health seeking behaviors. Themes that emerged from these data indicated that critical social factors include: 1) Kinship/significant others; 2) accessibility of resources; 3) ethnohealth belief; and 4) accepting caring environment. The data also indicated a relationship between these social factors and health seeking behaviors of urban African-American men.

Advancing the sleep/wake schedule impacts the sleep of African-Americans more than European-Americans

PubMed Central

Crowley, Stephanie J.; Fogg, Louis F.; Eastman, Charmane I.

2017-01-01

There are differences in sleep duration between Blacks/African-Americans and Whites/European-Americans. Recently, we found differences between these ancestry groups in the circadian system, such as circadian period and the magnitude of phase shifts. Here we document the role of ancestry on sleep and cognitive performance before and after a 9-h advance in the sleep/wake schedule similar to flying east or having a large advance in sleep times due to shiftwork, both of which produce extreme circadian misalignment. Non-Hispanic African and European-Americans (N = 20 and 17 respectively, aged 21–43 years) were scheduled to four baseline days each with 8 h time in bed based on their habitual sleep schedule. This sleep/wake schedule was then advanced 9 h earlier for three days. Sleep was monitored using actigraphy. During the last two baseline/aligned days and the first two advanced/misaligned days, beginning 2 h after waking, cognitive performance was measured every 3 h using the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) test battery. Mixed model ANOVAs assessed the effects of ancestry (African-American or European-American) and condition (baseline/aligned or advanced/misaligned) on sleep and cognitive performance. There was decreased sleep and impaired performance in both ancestry groups during the advanced/misaligned days compared to the baseline/aligned days. In addition, African-Americans obtained less sleep than European-Americans, especially on the first two days of circadian misalignment. Cognitive performance did not differ between African-Americans and European-Americans during baseline days. During the two advanced/misaligned days, however, African-Americans tended to perform slightly worse compared to European-Americans, particularly at times corresponding to the end of the baseline sleep episodes. Advancing the sleep/wake schedule, creating extreme circadian misalignment, had a greater impact on the sleep of African-Americans than European-Americans

Advancing the sleep/wake schedule impacts the sleep of African-Americans more than European-Americans.

PubMed

Paech, Gemma M; Crowley, Stephanie J; Fogg, Louis F; Eastman, Charmane I

2017-01-01

There are differences in sleep duration between Blacks/African-Americans and Whites/European-Americans. Recently, we found differences between these ancestry groups in the circadian system, such as circadian period and the magnitude of phase shifts. Here we document the role of ancestry on sleep and cognitive performance before and after a 9-h advance in the sleep/wake schedule similar to flying east or having a large advance in sleep times due to shiftwork, both of which produce extreme circadian misalignment. Non-Hispanic African and European-Americans (N = 20 and 17 respectively, aged 21-43 years) were scheduled to four baseline days each with 8 h time in bed based on their habitual sleep schedule. This sleep/wake schedule was then advanced 9 h earlier for three days. Sleep was monitored using actigraphy. During the last two baseline/aligned days and the first two advanced/misaligned days, beginning 2 h after waking, cognitive performance was measured every 3 h using the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) test battery. Mixed model ANOVAs assessed the effects of ancestry (African-American or European-American) and condition (baseline/aligned or advanced/misaligned) on sleep and cognitive performance. There was decreased sleep and impaired performance in both ancestry groups during the advanced/misaligned days compared to the baseline/aligned days. In addition, African-Americans obtained less sleep than European-Americans, especially on the first two days of circadian misalignment. Cognitive performance did not differ between African-Americans and European-Americans during baseline days. During the two advanced/misaligned days, however, African-Americans tended to perform slightly worse compared to European-Americans, particularly at times corresponding to the end of the baseline sleep episodes. Advancing the sleep/wake schedule, creating extreme circadian misalignment, had a greater impact on the sleep of African-Americans than European-Americans

Variations in Parenting and Adolescent Outcomes among African American and Latino Families Living in Low-Income, Urban Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Kathleen M.; Ensminger, Margaret E.; Cherlin, Andrew J.

2007-01-01

Drawing from social disorganization theory, this study examined how perceived neighborhood conditions modified associations between parenting and delinquency, depressive symptoms, and school problem behavior among more than 800 African American and Latino 10- to 14-year-olds participating in Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study.…