In 2016, prostate cancer was the second leading cause of fatality in the United States. However, the population in this study 'Black American men, ages 40 and older, in selected counties in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton and Atlanta metropolitan areas' tended to underutilize prostate cancer care. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental descriptive study was to determine whether socio-economic barriers and perceptions of Black American men about prostate cancer reduce their ability to access quality care in this county in Georgia. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used to inform the predictive validity of perceptions, attitudes, and belief on individual health behaviors. Data were collected from 303 men through online and mailed researcher-made surveys that had been piloted using the demographic/medical background instrument; data from these surveys were then analyzed using frequency distribution and analysis of variance, coupled with Tukey's honest significant difference test. According to the results, 90% of the respondents stated that early detection and treatment were a perceived benefit of undergoing prostate cancer screening, and respondents perceived early detection, early treatment, and the reduced chance of dying from prostate cancer as the main reasons for undergoing the screening. A potential social significance to this study is that it provides information to health care providers and policy makers to better understand the patterns of Black American men and their motivation to seek early prostate cancer screening. Early screening could reduce costs, both economically and socially, associated with late diagnosis of this disease.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / According to the most recent US Census statistics, there is an estimated 2.5 million grandparents raising their grandchildren in the United States without the children's parents present in the household. In Indianapolis, the figure constitutes nearly 9,000 households. There are a disproportionately higher number of African American grandparents that are primary caregivers to their grandchildren. However, 6 percent of this population is grandfathers who are raising their grandchildren, while some 40 percent of the grandmothers are married. The research is a compilation of interviews with ten African American grandfathers living in Indianapolis who are raising their grandchildren in their households without the presence of the grandchildren’s parents. These men were either married or widowed and have either formal custody of their grandchildren through adoption, foster care/kinship care, court-appointed guardianship or informal living arrangements. The objective of the research was to capture the lived experiences of these grandfathers who were fulfilling their caregiving roles. Thus, the research methodology used was reflective of the phenomenological paradigm of inquiry.

No description available.

This research project was designed to conduct a study of the Concerned Black Man (CBM) of Richmond, a mentorship program for African American males. The specific purposes of the study were to: (1) identify program structure and practices; (2) identify program strengths and weaknesses as perceived by key players; (3) examine the nature of mentor-protege relationships. The population consisted of 33 persons (executive board members, mentors, proteges, parents, business/community leaders, and school officials) involved with the CBM program. The methods of research employed were document collection, observations, unstructured interviews, and focus groups. Conclusions drawn from the study suggest that the Concerned Black Men consist of a small group of dedicated males who operate and administer the entire program. Evidence suggests that although the program has had a positive impact on program participants, the absence of full time staff gives way to a general lack of infrastructure which contributes to uneven and inconsistent program policies and practices. Commitment of the CBM members, youth activities, transportation, and CBM resourcefulness emerged as strengths by key players. Weaknesses cited were membership, communications, and organizational structure. CBM espouses a group approach to mentoring, therefore, formal matching is not encouraged. It is significant that all proteges formed relationships with the same mentor; on the other hand, only one mentor had formed a relationship with either of the proteges interviewed. Both mentors and proteges conveyed that the relationship (1) started in a bi-monthly CBM activity; (2) centered around group-sponsored activities, twice a month; (3) consisted of primarily school-related conversation; (4) was fairly close; (5) gave them positive feelings; and (6) generally effected a positive change in their behavior. The argument is supported that a successful mentoring program requires a solid infrastructure, consistently stated goals and an essential supply of manpower. / Ed. D.

Using data from the Household Component of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the study compares (1) the accessibility, and (2) the predictors of health care services utilization among African American and non-Hispanic White males, 18 to 65 years old in the United States. Using ANOVA procedure in comparing the means for use of physicians, hospitals, doctors, and difficulty obtaining care, seven hypotheses were tested in the study. First, it was hypothesized that African American men of working age will have less access to health care services (physicians, hospitals, and dentists), and be more likely to report having experienced delay or difficulty obtaining care, compared to non-Hispanic white males of working age. Second, it was hypothesized that, controlling for health status, African American men of working age will have less access to health care services (physicians, hospitals, and dentists), and will also be more likely to experience delay or difficulty obtaining care, than non-Hispanic white males. This was followed by the third hypothesis which compared utilization of physicians, hospitals, dentists, and difficulty obtaining care among African American and non-Hispanic white males, controlling for health status and insurance coverage (any insurance, private insurance, any public insurance, and Medicaid). Hypotheses four through six compared the utilization of physicians, hospitals, and dentists, as well as difficulty obtaining care among African American and non-Hispanic white males, controlling for the following variables sequentially: health status and poverty status; health status and having a usual source of care; and health status and employment status, in that order. Finally, it was hypothesized that, controlling for health status, any insurance, poverty status, and employment status, African American men of working age will have less access to physicians, hospitals, and dentists, and experience more difficulty and delay obtaining care, compared to non-Hispanic white males of working age. Results from the study indicated that Hypothesis 1 was supported for use of physicians and dentists. Hypotheses 2, 3a and 3c were supported for use of physicians, hospitals, and dentists. Hypotheses 3b, 3d, and 4 received support for use of physicians, hospitals, dentists, and difficulty obtaining care. Additionally, both Hypotheses 5 and 6 were supported for use of physicians, hospitals, and dentists, with the last hypothesis being confirmed for use of physicians, hospitals, dentists, and difficulty obtaining care. The study calls for a closure of the gap in access to health care between African American and non-Hispanic white adult males in the US. A reform-oriented government-sponsored single-payer plan modeled after the Canadian health care system is recommended for the United States. A national health insurance plan is most likely to ensure equity of access, compared to others, in the sense that it is founded on the premise that everyone will be covered in a similar fashion. Considering the role of Community Health Centers in serving Medicaid and Medicare recipients, low-income uninsured and insured, the underinsured, as well as high-risk populations and the elderly, in the interim, they should be extended to every community in the United States.

This Q methodology study focused on those intrinsic attributes that successful African American men who had adverse childhood experiences attributed to their success. Using the purposeful and snowball sampling recruitment process, forty-two successful African American men participated in this research project. Five distinct factors were identified and labeled as, Factor 1: The Godly Working Men, Factor 2: The Competitive Men, Factor 3: The Charismatic Men, Factor 4: The Expectation Driven Men, and Factor 5: The Proud African American Men. The main findings were that respectful African American boys who are taught to understand who they are spiritually, be proud of their racial history, have a sound sense of purpose, and a desire to work hard are tooled to become successful African American men. The findings in this study support the wealth of research regarding strength-based youth development approaches, such as the Positive Youth Development’s 40 Developmental Assets framework. The six top intrinsic attributes that the participants in this research project ranked as most contributing to their success were 1) faith and trust in God, 2) desire to learn and understand how to apply the word of God to their life, 3) being respectful of others, 4) having a sense of purpose and value for life, 5) pride in racial identity and history, and 6) the ability to work hard and do their best. However, the intrinsic attributes relating to spirituality and pride in racial identity and history are not explicitly identified within the internal assets of the Positive Youth Development’s 40 Developmental Assets framework. For this framework to be meaningful for African Americans, the pride in racial identity and history attribute should be added to the positive identity group and a new group should be included to account for the two spirituality attributes. This study provided evidence that African American men from adverse backgrounds have voices and want to share their experiences to help other young people overcome and be successful. It is highly recommended that additional study be conducted on the impacts that extrinsic and intrinsic attribute have to the success of African American men.

African American men are more likely to have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes than non-Hispanic White Americans and are less likely to adhere to treatment. Culture in the African American community plays a key role in how this community copes with illness and the health care system. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of social and cultural determinants of Type 2 diabetes self-management among African American men. Bandura's social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. The research question sought to identify cultural and social factors that contribute or protect how African American men manage Type 2 diabetes. The study had a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 11 African American men ages 48 to 76 with Type 2 diabetes volunteered to participate in in-depth interviews. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, inductively coded, and analyzed for emergent themes using NVivo 12 software. Thematic analyses led to the development of 8 themes and 8 subthemes. The lived experiences of the participants were classified into personal factors (self-efficacy, knowledge, outcomes, expectations, and attitudes); environmental factors (modeling, social norms, perceived support, facilitation, dietary choices, and accessibility); and behavioral factors, which differed in terms of consumption, goal setting, and behavior toward health care. Positive social change implications of the study may include further education on disease management, recommendations to healthcare professionals, community stakeholders, and African American families on specific factors that can enhance knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to improve management of Type 2 diabetes among African American men.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Abilene Christian University, 1992. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-207).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Dawn Person. Dissertation Committee: Raechele L. Pope. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-171).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed Sept. 2, 2009). Degree earned with the cooperation of additional faculty from the University of Alabama. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-91).