Recruiting African-American Women to Community-Based Health Promotion Research

This article describes the development of a behavioral staging algorithm for use in the Eat Well, Live Well Nutrition Program, a peer-delivered community-based program for African American women ( N = 301). The authors examined whether increased frequency in performing low-fat eating behaviors and lower percentage calories from fat intake resulted as a participant moved through five stages of readiness to change each of five low-fat dietary patterns. Frequency of performing low-fat dietary behaviors was significantly different ( p < .05) between four stages for the pattern of avoid fried foods, three stages for modify meats, and two stages for the patterns of substitution, avoid fat as seasoning, replacement. Percentage calories from fat were significantly different ( p < .05) between four stages for the pattern of replacement, three stages for avoid fried foods and modify meats, and two stages for substitution and avoid fat as seasoning. Implications of these findings for the tailoring of community-based dietary programs are presented.

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Community Engagement in the Development of an mHealth-Enabled Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Intervention (Step It Up): Pilot Focus Group Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.10944 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Joniqua Nashae Ceasar ◽

Sophie Elizabeth Claudel ◽

Marcus R Andrews ◽

Kosuke Tamura ◽

Valerie Mitchell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Minority Population ◽

Washington Dc ◽

Community Based ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

American Women

BACKGROUND Community-based participatory research is an effective tool for improving health outcomes in minority communities. Few community-based participatory research studies have evaluated methods of optimizing smartphone apps for health technology-enabled interventions in African Americans. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to utilize focus groups (FGs) for gathering qualitative data to inform the development of an app that promotes physical activity (PA) among African American women in Washington, DC. METHODS We recruited a convenience sample of African American women (N=16, age range 51-74 years) from regions of Washington, DC metropolitan area with the highest burden of cardiovascular disease. Participants used an app created by the research team, which provided motivational messages through app push notifications and educational content to promote PA. Subsequently, participants engaged in semistructured FG interviews led by moderators who asked open-ended questions about participants’ experiences of using the app. FGs were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim, with subsequent behavioral theory-driven thematic analysis. Key themes based on the Health Belief Model and emerging themes were identified from the transcripts. Three independent reviewers iteratively coded the transcripts until consensus was reached. Then, the final codebook was approved by a qualitative research expert. RESULTS In this study, 10 main themes emerged. Participants emphasized the need to improve the app by optimizing automation, increasing relatability (eg, photos that reflect target demographic), increasing educational material (eg, health information), and connecting with community resources (eg, cooking classes and exercise groups). CONCLUSIONS Involving target users in the development of a culturally sensitive PA app is an essential step for creating an app that has a higher likelihood of acceptance and use in a technology-enabled intervention. This may decrease health disparities in cardiovascular diseases by more effectively increasing PA in a minority population.

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Community-Based Perinatal Depression Services for African American Women: The Healthy Start Model

Social Work in Public Health ◽

10.1080/19371910802679622 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 568-583 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Christine E. Ley ◽

Valire Carr Copeland ◽

Cheryl Squire Flint ◽

Joanne S. White ◽

Sandra Wexler

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Perinatal Depression ◽

Healthy Start ◽

Community Based ◽

American Women

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Who Can Help Us on This Journey? African American Woman with Breast Cancer: Living in a City with Extreme Health Disparities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17041126 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 1126

Author(s):

Shelley White-Means ◽

Jill Dapremont ◽

Barbara D Davis ◽

Tronlyn Thompson

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Critical Role ◽

Breast Cancer Mortality ◽

American Woman ◽

Community Based ◽

American Women ◽

Cancer Support

This qualitative descriptive research study looks at the services that community-based breast cancer support agencies provide to underserved and African American women who are at risk for or diagnosed with breast cancer in Memphis, Tennessee. We seek their understanding of breast cancer mortality disparities in Memphis. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth focus groups with five breast cancer support agencies. Categories and patterns were established using thematic analysis and a deductive a priori template of codes. Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing, and reporting themes within the data. The main themes identified within support agencies for African American women with breast cancer who live in Memphis were barriers to the use of services, education, health system support, and emotional support. Numerous sub themes included cost of medications, support group supplemental programming, eligibility for mobile services, patient/provider communication, optimism about the future, and family advice. Procrastinating, seeking second options, fearfulness, insurance, childcare, and transportation were barriers to care. Community-based breast cancer support agencies play a critical role as connectors for women with breast cancer who live in medically underserved areas and must find their way within a fragmented medical care system.

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