The qualitative data analysis revealed six themes that can be broadly categorized as knowledge and attitudinal barriers. Specifically, the knowledge barriers were: 1) lack of accurate information 2) misunderstanding and half truths, and 3) myths. The attitudinal barriers were: 1) fear, 2) denial, and 3) apathy. Participants reported that the presence of these barriers resulted [...]
Design This exploratory pilot study collected primary data from African-American male residents in Prince William County, VA. The qualitative research design used focus group interviews to obtain the data. This method is employed extensively to investigate health-related factors, such as knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. According to Zarcadoolas, in focus groups, “participants vent their views, [...]
INTRODUCTION The elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in health is an overarching goal of U.S. public health policy. Although the magnitude of the disparities is evidenced in a plethora of diseases across racial and ethnic groups, the extent of the problem is no more clearly illustrated than in cancer among African Americans. Overall, they [...]
These data suggest that within each age-gender subgroup, whether or not an individual has health insurance and a source of usual care is the most important modifiable factors driving use of needed health services within the African-American population. Poverty is also a significant and modifiable factor. Combining the three factors of health insurance, adequate income, [...]
There was valid data for 3,462 African-American respondents to the survey, representing a U.S. African-American population of 36,538,639 civilian, noninstitutionalized persons. Respondents had a median age of 30.0 years. Differences in self-reported health status and mental health status were not striking, but showed a predictable decline in health status with age, and worse health status [...]
Source Data for the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population were taken from the 1999 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). MEPS is a nationally representative survey of a sample of households drawn from previous National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) participants. Data in 1999 were collected for 23,565 [...]
INTRODUCTION Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare have been documented in numerous studies, which have been summarized in national reports, such as the Institute of Medicine’s Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care* and various Kaiser Family Foundation reports on Race, Ethnicity, and Medical Care. Some of the most rigorously documented studies [...]
