Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 153 p. Includes bibliographical references.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-257). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-257). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisors: Darryl Dickson-Carr ; Jerrilyn McGregory, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept of English. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 22, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 219 pages. Includes bibliographical references. Includes filmography.

The images in our world that render ideas of prejudice are reciprocally related to racism and sexism and have the ability to make us aware of how we base our evaluations of ourselves and others mainly on visual appearance. In the case of African American women in American society, this is magnified. My art is about my relationship to history and a personal understanding of obsessions with visual appearance. Through portrait painting, performance art and sculptural forms, I am attempting to express a personal interpretation or the collective cultural identity of African American women of my generation in the 21st, century.

African-American women (AAW) have had the largest increase in diagnosed diabetes in the US. Few studies have focused solely on dietary changes (one of the foundations for diabetes self-care), particularly in the context of family and the role of AAW. The purpose of this descriptive ethnographic study was to explicate cultural influences on food practices of AAW with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in order to inform the health care community as well as future development of culturally-tailored interventions. Specific aims were to describe typical daily food practices and identify cultural influences on food practices of AAW with T2DM. Symbolic Interactionism, a sensitizing framework for viewing AAW with T2DM as a subculture, guided this study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 AAW who: were between 35 and 70 years of age, had been diagnosed with T2DM, shopped and prepared meals for their families, and attended church functions where food was served . Data collection consisted of one-one-one interviews and participant observation of church fellowship dinners, grocery shopping, and food preparation. A social anthropological approach to content analysis was used to describe behavioral regularities in food practices. Trustworthiness was maintained by an audit trail. Findings indicate that for informants in this study, who had diabetes ranging from 2 to 30+ years, there is a constant struggle between cultural food practices and eating healthier because of diabetes, particularly within the home setting where a majority of daily food practices take place. Difficulties in making dietary modifications result from conflicts between the need to change dietary practices to control diabetes and personal food preferences, as well as the preferences of people within the participants' social network. In addition, difficulties derive from AAW's emotional dedication to the symbolism of food and traditional cultural food practices. AAW are the gatekeepers for family food practices and are the keys to healthy dietary practices. This study begins to fill the research gap regarding cultural dietary food practices of this population. With increased knowledge, researchers and health care providers will be better able to improve AAW food practices, and ultimately improve diabetes control in this high-risk population. / text

This is a qualitative study of 13 homeless African American women living in several shelters in the semi-rural South. The study focuses on their powerful stories of their lives and the trauma, abuse, substance abuse and economic problems that led them into homelessness. The study began as an ethnographic study after the model described in Leininger‟s „Stranger to Trusted Friend Enabler‟ and evolved into a creative mixed methodology of Interpretive Description that integrated elements of Ethnography, Phenomenology and Narrative. „Darkness‟ and „Turning to Light‟ is a synthesis of the participants‟ vivid narratives presented in two major themes. Darkness explores the participants‟ spiral downward into depression, drug use, abuse (physical, sexual, psychological) and economic loss to the Darkness of „Rock Bottom‟. Turning to Light follows their struggle back to „the light of life‟; becoming independent, regaining their children and their health, desiring to “help someone” and building their futures. The major theme heard as the women tell their stories is how they rely on their spiritual beliefs and practices, no matter how dark life becomes. They expressed that their spiritual connection to God nourished their soul and gave them a sense of well being and hope. Previous research cited supports the contention that their spirituality improves the prospects of healing and promotes positive health care outcomes. Understanding difficult life experiences through the homeless African American women‟s eyes provides a framework from which environments of care and interventions of change regarding social, political, religious or healthcare programs can be developed. The recognition of spirituality can lead to programs that further strengthen this source of support, hope and resilience. Nurses are in a unique position to influence the lives of these people. They meet them in emergency rooms when they are injured, in clinics when they are ill and in mental health clinics when life is overwhelming. The women identified helpful nursing characteristics: 1) respect for the patient‟s humanness, the impact of her life experiences on her current situation and prospects of healing, 2) respect for the patient‟s spirituality regardless of the nurse‟s personal beliefs, 3) acknowledgement of the humanness of the patient by being fully present during the time of the patient‟s vulnerability, and 4) holistic care.

Thesis advisor: Anne E. Norris / Little is known about adherence among African American women with HIV. This crossectional study investigated the direct and indirect effects of subjective wellbeing (SWB), physical activity, depression, and spiritual beliefs on adherence to antiretroviral therapy, condom use, and appointment keeping in 86 participants. These variables formed a theoretical model proposed in response to findings in the literature and clinical observations. Participants completed demographic and clinical questionnaires, the Center for Adherence Support Evaluation (CASE) Adherence Index (antiretroviral therapy adherence), Satisfaction with Life scale (SWB), Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire, CES-D (Depression), the Faith subscale of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being scale (spiritual beliefs), and questions regarding condom use and appointment keeping. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-tests, and Chi square analyses were used to analyze clinical and demographic variables, scale means, and effects on adherence variables. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to test study hypotheses, and path analysis was used to confirm the relationships in the linear regression model. The final model for medication adherence explained 31% of the variance. SWB had a direct effect (β = .30, p < .01). Spiritual beliefs had direct (.21), and indirect effects (.07) through SWB. Having a history of hospitalization for mental illness had direct (-.25), and indirect effects (-.06) through SWB. Physical activity had only a direct effect (β = - .19, p = .05), and no effect on SWB (p = .26). Findings failed to support relationships hypothesized in the model for condom and appointment adherence, though age was shown to have a positive effect (B = 0.06, p < .05) on appointment adherence in the final model. Further research is needed to replicate these findings in a larger cohort of African American women with HIV, and to identify factors that impact condom use and appointment keeping. Study findings argue for the need to assess spiritual beliefs, connect individuals with programs designed to enhance spiritual beliefs, and other resources that may positively influence well-being and medication adherence in this population. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2008. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the leadership experiences of 10 African American women (AAW)--current or former leaders in predominantly white organizations--to gain an understanding of how well, or not, AAW‟s leadership is represented by traditional and dominant leadership theory. The purpose of this study was to bring the interlocking system of race, gender, and social class (intersectionality) to the conversation on leadership by adding the perspectives of AAW and challenging the traditional and dominant assumptions about the phenomenon of leadership. The data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed using a form of narrative analysis. This study confirmed findings from prior research that AAW in positions of leadership: 1) often encounter disempowering experiences whereby their authority is questioned or challenged, 2) experience exclusion from the good ole boy social networks, 3) experience being an outsider-within--feelings of alienation as the only African American person in group settings, 4) express needing to have their qualifications validated before being accepted in their roles, and 5) are challenged to de-myth the stereotypical images that society has sanctioned upon AAW. The most salient encounters the women in this study had were disempowering experiences whereby their race, gender, and/or social class were perceived as creating a challenge to their positions of leadership. Based on the experiences of the participants in this study, traditional and dominant leadership theories, such as French and Raven's (1959) theory of social power that have generally represented the perspectives of white, middle class men, are inadequate for explaining the experiences of AAW. On the other hand socio-cultural theories such as black feminist thought and critical race theory (CRT) offer a wealth of knowledge for explaining how social systems such as race, gender, and social class can be used to maintain a status of marginalization. This study contributes to the fields of HRD and Higher Education (HE). First, leadership development programs should emphasize the socio-cultural challenges to leadership. Second, researchers should broaden the theories that inform the study of leadership. Finally, both fields should begin introducing and utilizing culturally inclusive terms, such as intersectionality, that are not generally associated with the study of leadership.