<p> This thesis addresses the connection between Black women's hair care preferences and formal and informal Afrocentric pedagogy. This issue is framed by the use of Afrocentric theory in compilation with Black Women's Standpoint theory and Symbolic Interactionism. Through the use of qualitative interviews this project seeks to highlight the many factors that go into the choices Black women make about how to wear their hair, including education, familial influence, media, and personal preference.</p>

<p> Prostate cancer (PCa) affects Blacks disproportionately when compared to other groups. PCa is the primary cancer and second cause of cancer mortality among Black men. Some researchers have declared that the high PCa incidence and mortality rates in the Black population are a result of poor screening rates. PCa screening perceptions are reasonably known among African American men; however, limited documentation is available for the ever-expanding population of ethnic Black Caribbean men in the United States. Ethnic Blacks from the Caribbean are at high risk for PCa, with PCa incidence and mortality rates comparable to, or exceeding those of African American men. This quantitative non-experimental comparative analysis study examined differences in the perception of ethnic Blacks toward PCa and PCa screening. Also being examined was the extent and manner in which these PCa perceptions among ethnic Black men differ with respect to specific ethnic groups within the Black population and varied with respect to demographic factors of age, education, marital status, health insurance coverage, and income. The Health Belief Model &ndash; Prostate Cancer Scale (HBM-PCS) was theoretical framework used in this study. The HBM-PCS and a Demographic survey were provided to 167 participants (40 to 80 years), recruited via flyers at grocers, shopping malls, plazas, restaurants, and barbershops frequented by ethnic Black men residing in Broward County, Florida. There was a statistically significant difference in Perceived PCa Seriousness with respect to ethnic identity, <i>F</i>(4, 162) = 4.54, <i> MSE</i> = .531, <i>p</i> = .002, <i>&eta;</i>² = 0.10. There was also a statistically significant difference in Perceived PCa Screening Barriers with respect to ethnic identity, <i> F</i>(4,162) = 4.08, <i>MSE</i> = .226, <i>p</i> = .004, <i>&eta;</i>² = 0.09. There was no statistically significant difference in Perceived PCa Screening Benefits with respect to ethnic identity, <i>F</i>(4, 162) = .80, <i>MSE</i> = .188, <i>p</i>= .526, <i>&eta;</i>² = 0.02. The interaction effect between ethnicity and age <i>F</i>(8, 152) = 2.08, <i>MSE</i> = .180, <i>p</i>= .041, partial eta = .099 and ethnicity and income <i>F</i>(14, 142) = 1.79, <i> MSE</i> = .177, <i>p</i>= .045, partial eta = .150 on perceived PCa screening Benefits were of statistical significance. Perceived PCa Screening Barriers also statistically significantly differed with respect to education level [<i>F</i>(5, 160) = 4.48, <i>MSE</i> = .221, <i> p</i>= .001, <i>&eta;</i>²_p = 0.12], income level [<i>F</i>(4, 160) = 6.21, <i>MSE</i> = .216, <i> p</i> &lt; .001, <i>&eta;</i>²_p = 0.13], and health insurance coverage [<i>t</i>(165) = 3.22, <i> p</i> &lt; .001]. Future studies should take into consideration additional ethnic Black groups, which should consist of larger samples that are more equally weighted among each ethnic group being examined. Additionally, future studies should focus on how ethnic Black men perceived the benefits of PCa, and how their perceptions of the benefits of screening contribute to, or prevent them from screening for PCa disease. Of interest should also be studies on PCa trajectory in ethnic Black immigrants in the United States, as to whether PCa incidences and mortalities become lessened upon migration from their country of origin.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1996. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 58-02, Section: B, page: 1014.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2004. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 64-06, Section: B, page: 2948. Adviser: Donald J. Woods.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Journalism, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: A, page: 3650. Adviser: Dan Drew. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 7, 2008).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: B, page: 6364. Adviser: Myrtle Scott. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 8, 2008).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-11, Section: A, page: 4612. Adviser: Susan Noffke. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 260-269) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: A, page: 2891. Adviser: William T. Trent. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 496-500) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2008. / Adviser: Tina Q. Richardson.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: A, page: 4326. Adviser: Siobhan Somerville. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 289-320) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.