scholarly journals Spatial Access and Willingness to Use Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Black/African American Individuals in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bisola O Ojikutu ◽  
Laura M Bogart ◽  
Kenneth H Mayer ◽  
Thomas J Stopka ◽  
Patrick S Sullivan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Spatial Access ◽  
Black African ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Zip Code

BACKGROUND Uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among black individuals in the United States is low and may be associated with the limited availability of clinics where PrEP is prescribed. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the association between spatial access to clinics where PrEP is prescribed and willingness to use PrEP. METHODS We identified locations of clinics where PrEP is prescribed from AIDSVu.org and calculated the density of PrEP clinics per 10,000 residents according to the ZIP code. Individual-level data were obtained from the 2016 National Survey on HIV in the Black Community. We used multilevel modelling to estimate the association between willingness to use PrEP and clinic density among participants with individual-level (HIV risk, age, gender, education, income, insurance, doctor visit, census region, urban/rural residence) and ZIP code–level (%poverty, %unemployed, %uninsured, %black population, and density of health care facilities) variables. RESULTS All participants identified as black/African American. Of the 787 participants, 45% were men and 23% were found to be at high risk based on the self-reported behavioral characteristics. The mean age of the participants was 34 years (SD 9), 54% of participants resided in the South, and 26% were willing to use PrEP. More than one-third (38%) of the sample had to drive more than 1 hour to access a PrEP provider. Participants living in areas with higher PrEP clinic density were significantly more willing to use PrEP (one SD higher density of PrEP clinics per 10,000 population was associated with 16% higher willingness [adjusted prevalence ratio=1.16, 95% CI: 1.03-1.31]). CONCLUSIONS Willingness to use PrEP was associated with spatial availability of clinics where providers prescribe PrEP in this nationally representative sample of black African Americans.

scholarly journals Differences in COVID-19 Testing and Test Positivity Among Veterans, United States, 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. 003335492110094
Author(s):  
Jacqueline M. Ferguson ◽  
Hoda S. Abdel Magid ◽  
Amanda L. Purnell ◽  
Mathew V. Kiang ◽  
Thomas F. Osborne
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Positive Test ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Positive Test Result ◽  
Black African ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Test Result

Objective COVID-19 disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States. We evaluated characteristics associated with obtaining a COVID-19 test from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and receiving a positive test result for COVID-19. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 6 292 800 veterans in VHA care at 130 VHA medical facilities. We assessed the number of tests for SARS-CoV-2 administered by the VHA (n = 822 934) and the number of positive test results (n = 82 094) from February 8 through December 28, 2020. We evaluated associations of COVID-19 testing and test positivity with demographic characteristics of veterans, adjusting for facility characteristics, comorbidities, and county-level area-based socioeconomic measures using nested generalized linear models. Results In fully adjusted models, veterans who were female, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, urban, and low income and had a disability had an increased likelihood of obtaining a COVID-19 test, and veterans who were Asian had a decreased likelihood of obtaining a COVID-19 test. Compared with veterans who were White, veterans who were Black/African American (risk ratio [RR] = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.19-1.27) and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (RR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05-1.21) had an increased likelihood of receiving a positive test result. Hispanic/Latino veterans had a 43% higher likelihood of receiving a positive test result than non-Hispanic/Latino veterans did. Conclusions Although veterans have access to subsidized health care at the VHA, the increased risk of receiving a positive test result for COVID-19 among Black and Hispanic/Latino veterans, despite receiving more tests than White and non-Hispanic/Latino veterans, suggests that other factors (eg, social inequities) are driving disparities in COVID-19 prevalence.

Vocational Rehabilitation Closure Statuses in the United States: Generalizing to the Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity

2005 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith B. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Test Statistic ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
Black African ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) research focusing on race, ethnicity and other demographic variables has continued to gain needed attention in the VR literature over the past ten years. In the study described here, the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID), an exploratory multivariate statistical tool from Answer Tree (SPSS, 2001), was used to investigate closure codes (statuses) with Race, Ethnicity, Age, and Gender. The test statistic revealed a statistically significant difference with the Hispanic ethnicity, age, and types of closures with the race (i.e., African American and White American) of customers in the United States VR system. Particularly, customers who are non-Hispanic (African Americans) between the ages of 51-60 are more likely not to be accepted for VR services (Status 08 from 02) and once accepted for VR services, close not rehabilitated (Statuses 28,30, & closed from pre-service, Status 38 from Status 04). Results further indicated that Black (African American) and White (European American) Hispanics in the United States VR system tend to have different experiences. Suggestions for VR counselors are discussed.

Two Peas in a Pod? An Exploratory Examination Into Cancer-Related Psychosocial Characteristics and Health Behaviors Among Black Immigrants and African Americans

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1035-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Oyare Amuta-Jimenez ◽  
Nafissatou Cisse-Egbounye ◽  
Wura Jacobs ◽  
Gabrielle P. A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Black Immigrants ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Characteristics ◽  
Black African

Introduction. Most studies lump Black immigrants (BIs) and African Americans (AAs) as “Black/African American” during investigation. Such categorization assumes that the sociocultural determinants that influence BIs are the same as for AAs. This study attempts to disentangle the AA and BI subgroups to recognize the differences in cancer-related psychosocial characteristics and health behaviors. Methods. Merged data from the Health Information National Survey (2011–2017) were used. Two groups were created: those who identified as AA and those who identified as AA but were born outside the United States (BI). Between-group differences were assessed with Mann–Whitney U and chi-square tests. Results. Positive communication patterns with health care providers were significantly higher among AAs ( M [mean] = 3.41, SD [standard deviation] = 0.68) compared with BIs ( M = 3.28, SD = 0.71) ( p = .004). A greater proportion of BIs indicated that their health was excellent (14.2%), compared with AAs (7.9%). AAs reported higher cancer family history (75.1%) than BIs (46.5%). More AAs had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (41.5%) than BIs (16.7%). BIs consumed significantly more fruits each day ( M = 2.77, SD = 1.43) than AAs ( M = 2.40, SD = 1.44) ( p < .001). BIs also reported more physical activity ( M = 2.62, SD = 2.15) than AAs ( M = 2.37, SD = 2.18) ( p = .030). AA women were more likely to have had a pap smear test ( M = 2.07, SD = 1.44) compared with BI women ( M = 1.73, SD = 1.21) ( p = .002). Discussion. Evidence suggests the need to disentangle the “Black/African American” ethnic grouping. Lumping the BI populations together with the AAs, who have been in the United States for generations, may limit the ability to uncover and consequently address culturally driven disease prevention efforts and promote understanding of the biological, environmental, and psychosocial risk factors within Black heterogeneous populations.

scholarly journals Use of Mentholated Cigarettes and Likelihood of Smoking Cessation in the United States: A Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip H Smith ◽  
Biruktawit Assefa ◽  
Simranpreet Kainth ◽  
Kaliris Y Salas-Ramirez ◽  
Sherry A McKee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
African American ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Black African ◽  
Menthol Cigarette ◽  
Marketing Influence

Abstract Introduction Previous qualitative reviews have summarized evidence of an association between menthol cigarette use and likelihood of smoking cessation. The objective of this meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative summary of effect sizes, their variability, and factors related to the variability in effect size for the association between menthol use and likelihood of smoking cessation. Methods We systematically searched Medline, PsycINFO, and Embase for prospective and cross-sectional studies of the association between menthol use and smoking cessation. We analyzed data with random effects meta-analyses and meta-regression. Results Our review identified 22 reports from 19 studies of the association between menthol use and cessation. All identified study samples included only US smokers, with one exception that included both Canadian and US smokers. Our overall model did not demonstrate a significant association between menthol use and cessation; however, menthol users were significantly less likely to quit among blacks/African American smokers (odds ratio = 0.88). Conclusions Among blacks/African Americans predominantly in the US menthol users have approximately 12% lower odds of smoking cessation compared to non-menthol users. This difference is likely the result of the tobacco industry’s ongoing marketing influence on the black/African American Community, suggesting that a menthol ban may have a unique public health benefit for black/African American smokers by encouraging quitting behavior. Implications This study adds a quantitative summary of the association between menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation in the United States. Findings of an association with lower likelihood of cessation among black/African American smokers, likely resulting from the tobacco industry’s marketing influence, support the ban of menthol flavoring as part of a comprehensive tobacco control effort to increase cessation among black/African American smokers.

scholarly journals Black-ish Missiology: A Critique of Mission Studies and Appeal for Inclusion in the United States Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-192
Author(s):  
Dwight A. Radcliff
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Not Given ◽  
Current Field ◽  
Close Inspection ◽  
Black African ◽  
Idiomatic Expression

Abstract Using the idiomatic expression found in the United States, this essay contends that the current field of missiology is black-ish. The expression is used to describe something purports to be Black (African American), but upon close inspection may not be authentic to the culture. This essay seeks to examine the dearth of specifically African American contributions to missiology. Citing issues of internal structuring and epistemology, an argument is made that African American voices and culture are often lost in this maze constituted by a lack of uniformity within mission studies. Additionally, there is an existing catalogue of Black scholarship that deals, directly and indirectly, with mission but is often not given the same latitude of inclusion and review that White scholarship is afforded in the United States.

scholarly journals Shaving Waivers in the United States Air Force and Their Impact on Promotions of Black/African-American Members

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Ritchie ◽  
Jisuk Park ◽  
Jonathan Banta ◽  
Casey Bowen ◽  
Sean McCarthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Air Force ◽  
United States Air Force ◽  
Racial Bias ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Disciplinary Action ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Black African

ABSTRACT Introduction Regulations of the United States Air Force (USAF) prohibit male members from growing beards. Shaving waivers can be issued to airmen who are not able to shave due to various medical conditions such as pseudofolliculitis barbae, a condition that predominantly affects Blacks/African-Americans. Beard growth has been anecdotally associated with a negative impact on career progression. This study sought to establish if shaving waivers are associated with delays in promotion and, if present, if this association leads to racial bias. Materials and Methods An online survey that collected information relating to shaving waivers and demographic data was emailed to all air force male members at 12 randomly selected air force bases. Generalized linear models were conducted to test the waiver group difference in promotion time controlling for rank and the covariates of race/ethnicity, level of education, professional military education completion, and disciplinary action. Results A total of 51,703 survey invitations were emailed to members, and 10,383 complete responses were received (20.08% response rate). The demographics of the study cohort closely matched that of the USAF. Shaving waivers were associated with a longer time to promotion (P = .0003). The interaction between race and waiver status was not significant, indicating that shaving waivers are associated with a similarly longer time to promotion in individuals of all races. However, 64.18% of those in the waiver group were Black/African-American despite only being 12.85% of the study cohort. Conclusions This study found an association between shaving waivers and delayed promotions. The majority of the waiver group was Black/African-American, which may lead to a racially discriminatory effect of the male grooming standards of the USAF.

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