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Reduction and elimination of African American health disparities, a major challenge of our society for the past 20 years, has not been realized, although empirical studies, clinical practice and policy initiatives have made progress in their attempt to achieve this goal. Behavioral health risks are a significant component of such disparities. In this paper the authors maintain that the precise lack of understanding of how much behavioral health is influenced by worldview, and the importance of historical roots of African American people, and the challenges they face in the 21st century need to be explored and understood within the context of worldview. Specifically, the allocentric worldview should be considered an essential component in discussions surrounding behavioral health disparities. This paper argues that anything less than an historical assessment of the conditions leading up to behavioral health ills in African American urban and rural communities today will be incomplete, inaccurate and fall short of achieving the goals of reducing behavioral health disparities in this population. The purpose of this manuscript is to present the allocentric worldview and explore how its adoption is critical to behavioral health recovery among African Americans today. It is proposed that knowing and adopting a cultural and historical worldview that is indigenous to African descended peoples may significantly improve motivation and action among African Americans to adopt healthier behavioral health life styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: To reduce risky adolescent sexual behavior, education programs must be tailored to specific cultures and stage of adolescence. Objectives: This study describes the self-reported sexual behavior of Korean college students and examines the efficiency of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TpB) in explaining intention of engaging in premarital sex in order to provide insights for a potential sex education program designed to reduce risky sexual behavior. Design: A cross-sectional, correlational design using an exploratory survey method was used. Participants: Participants were recruited from a university in Korea with a flyer posted at the entrance of the student health service center, and self-referral in 2004. Male and female unmarried college students aged 18 to 25 were included. Foreign students and students with visible physical problems were excluded. Three hundred and twenty of 550 students returned the questionnaire packets. Final data analysis included 298 students after deleting incomplete data. Methods: Participants completed six questionnaires: (1) Background and Sexual Behavior Questionnaire, including items related to perceived risk of sexual behavior, (2) Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale, and four scales related to TpB construct: (3) modified Premarital Sexual Attitude Scale, (4) Referent group Approval of Sex Behavior Scale, (5) Sexual Abstinence Efficacy Scale and (6) modified version of Doswell''s Intention of Sexual Behavior Scale. Results: Premarital sexual attitude, abstinence self-efficacy and referent group norms were significant predictors of intention of premarital sex for male students with a large effect, but only attitude and norms predicted intention of premarital sex for female students. Conclusion: The TpB may be an effective theory to guide the development of theory-driven sexual abstinence interventions to reduce risky sexual behavior for Korean males, while the Theory of Reasoned Action may be an effective theory for Korean females. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many African American girls begin pubertal development very early and run the risk of engaging in early sexual behavior and its harmful consequences. Health and educational programs are attempting to provide them with the help they need to avoid inappropriate sexual behaviors at such a young age. However, local and national statistics indicate that oral and vaginal sexual intercourse are occurring in rising numbers among this group. Spirituality may be an important variable in health promotion to prevent early sexual behavior. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of spirituality in preventing early sexual behavior among these girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine how well two predictors from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), attitude and subjective norms explain factors influencing early sexual behavior using a preliminary sample of early adolescent African American girls. Study Design and Methods. This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design with a sample of 106 African American girls, ages 11 to 14.3 years, attending seven public middle schools in a mid-size northeastern city. Structural equation modeling (SUM), with the maximum likelihood estimation procedure, was Used to test the overall fit of the TRA hypothesized model. Results. Preliminary findings suggest that early adolescent African American girls arc influenced in their intentions to abstain from early sexual behavior by their mother, rather than by their fathers and peers. The SEM results indicated both attitude and subjective norms (mother, rather and peer) are instrumental in predicting intention to abstain from early sexual behavior. Clinical Implications. Mother-daughter dyads should be included in nursing strategies developed around female adolescent sexuality and sexual behavior issues. Nurses have a pivotal role in providing information on healthy sexual and sexuality development by providing girls and their mothers with information empowering mothers to discuss these issues with their daughters. Nurses can assist young girls in exploring weir awakening sexual feelings, devising ways to discuss these feelings with their mothers, and suggesting age-appropriate heterosocial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction Methods Results Conclusion Black women experience many barriers to receiving high‐quality maternal healthcare. The ability of Black women to self‐advocate may mitigate these threats to their health. Limited research describes Black women's self‐advocacy during the perinatal period and how self‐advocacy related to other relevant concepts. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between self‐advocacy, patient–provider relationships, and mental health outcomes among Black women in the perinatal period.This cross‐sectional descriptive pilot study recruited Black women who were either in their 3rd trimester of pregnancy or within a year postpartum to complete surveys describing their self‐advocacy (Female Self‐Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale adapted for perinatal period) and maternal health outcomes (trust and comfort with maternal healthcare providers—Patient–Provider Relationship Scale; abuse and disrespect during childbirth—Mothers of Respect Index; experiences of discrimination—Experiences of Discrimination scale; depression—Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; and postpartum posttraumatic stress—City Birth Trauma Scale).N = 40 participants were recruited between January and September 2022. Participants reported moderate levels of self‐advocacy which were associated with trust and comfort with healthcare providers (r = 0.57–0.76, p < 0.001). Feeling respected by healthcare providers was positively associated with two self‐advocacy subscales (r = 0.42–0.44, p < 0.01). Depression was inversely related to all self‐advocacy subscales (r = −0.47–0.62, p < 0.001).Black women's self‐advocacy during the perinatal period is associated with trust and comfort with healthcare providers, perceptions of respect from their providers, and perinatal depression. Future research should focus on promoting trusting, respectful relationships between Black women and their maternal health providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the relevance of counseling and nursing care involved in treating patients with sickle cell anemia. Primary symptoms of sickle cell anemia; How to counsel parents of sickling children; How to prevent sickle cell crisis or reduce its seriousness; How to minimize ischemic pain among sicklers; Relevance of counseling adult sicklers.

Current research suggests that pubertal development is occurring earlier in African-American preteen girls in response to familial contextual factors, which may make them vulnerable to low self-image and self-esteem dissatisfaction. This lowering in self-image and self-esteem may contribute to the early initiation of sexual behaviors, putting these girls at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. These potential risks place these girls in need of prepubertal health promotion, yet preadolescents are not frequently a focus of nursing care delivery except when summer camp and back-to-school physicals are performed. This article presents an in-depth overview of selected literature on self-esteem, discusses findings on self-image and self-esteem from a pilot study on pubertal influences on accelerated sexual behavior, and proposes health promotion strategies for pre-and peripubertal girls to promote positive mental health outcomes. More focused attention is needed on health promotion targeting the developmental transition health needs of prepubertal girls. Targeted health promotion activities may foster healthier pre-and peripubertal girls' perceptions of the meaning of their pubertal physical changes and stronger self-image and self-esteem. The goal of these health promotion activities should be to foster continuity of positive self-image and self-esteem among preteen girls, which is essential to prevent initiation of premature for-age risk of problem behavior, such as early coitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the implementation of guidelines for preoperative fasting by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Implication of age and health for ASA guidelines; Importance of screening protocols in health care facilities; Need for ASA to address nursing shortages.

Objective: To evaluate reproductive health communication between African American fathers and their children. Design: In this qualitative ethnographic study, data were collected through tape-recorded individual interviews about the content and timing of reproductive health communication, the reproductive health values fathers intended to impart to their children, and their comfort level in doing so. Sample: A total sample of 19 African-American fathers participated. Measurements: Data were coded according to the qualitative analytic principles established by Miles and Huberman (1994), and analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis approaches. Results: Although 10 fathers reported feeling uncomfortable having these conversations, 18 reported having reproductive health communication with their children, and most encouraged their sons and daughters to delay sex until adulthood. These conversations were primarily driven by the fear of HIV/AIDS and the negative consequences of sex; however, some conversations were inappropriate for developmental age. Conclusions: African-American fathers may benefit from education to help them have age appropriate reproductive health communication with their children. Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners are well positioned to educate African American adolescents and their fathers on reproductive health. Future dyadic African American father-child studies are needed to explore more fully African-America) children's perceptions of reproductive health communication and the effect on delaying sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the mediating role of condom self-efficacy between the parent–adolescent relationship and the intention to use condoms with a submodel based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Male students aged 18–25 years ( n = 176) were recruited from a university in Seoul, South Korea, using a flyer and self-referral in 2004. A sample of 170 male students was retained for the final data analyses as six subjects had incomplete data on more than one instrument. Condom self-efficacy completely mediated the prediction of intention to use condoms by the quality of the mother–son relationship. However, condom self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between the quality of the father–son relationship and the intention to use condoms. Only an indirect effect between the quality of the father–son relationship and the intention to use condoms existed. The suggested sex education programs should develop culture-specific, theory-based, and family-based interventions in order to reduce risky sexual behavior among South Korean adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the convergence of culture, myths, and taboos surrounding reproductive health issues African immigrant women, living in the United States, learned during childhood in their countries of origin. We also discuss how mothers’ perceptions of reproductive health education (RHE) influenced the education of their own daughters aged 10-14 years. This was a qualitative descriptive study. Data were collected via interviews and demographic survey. The sample size was 20 African immigrant mothers living in a mid-sized city in the U.S. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Myths and taboos related to menstruation, sexual intercourse, pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS were reported by the women interviewed. Discussion of these issues was largely taboo, and most myths the mothers learned growing up pertained to sexual intercourse, pregnancy prevention, and pregnancy termination using non-hormonal ingested substances. Myths and taboos about sexual issues are widespread in Africa and are propagated to control sexual behavior, especially that of unmarried people, particularly women. By examining these myths and taboos, we are able to somewhat contextualize the mothers’ immigrant experience regarding RHE. Although myths were reported, the majority of mothers did not appear to believe them. The most significant taboo reported was sexual intercourse. This in turn led to mothers’ overemphasis on abstinence for their daughters. It is also noteworthy that this sample contained mainly African women who overall were highly educated, spoke English, and could adequately navigate life in the U.S. It is unclear what the results would be if we were to examine African immigrant women with less achievements in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescents have disproportionate rates of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections when compared with all other age groups. Mothers are gatekeepers and providers of reproductive health education, which can prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Reproductive health education provided by African immigrant mothers is influenced by cultural experiences and cultural contexts that are not well understood and have not been studied. This study sought to describe the experience of African mothers living in the United States providing reproductive health education to their daughters aged 10 to 14 years. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Twenty African immigrant mothers were interviewed in a community setting. Qualitative content analysis approach was used for analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged: (1) mothers’ reproductive health education in their country of origin, (2) mothers’ reproductive health communication with their daughters, and (3) changes due to the move to the United States. Discussion: Mothers believed daughters were too young for reproductive health education, leading to conversations with limited content that were frequently triggered by daughters’ exposure to reproductive health education outside the home. Implications: African immigrant mothers may benefit from culturally congruent discussions with health care providers about the reproductive health information they give their daughters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study used the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) to examine the co-occurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and CVD in a nationally representative sample of African American women (n = 2,216). Results from a series of logistic regression models indicated high rates of MDD and CVD in the sample, and the African American women with MDD were 1.59 times more likely to have CVD compared to those without MDD. High rates of MDD/CVD co-morbidity appeared across those living in and not living in poverty. These individuals demonstrated greater functional impairment and were high users of mental health services. Our findings validate that MDD and CVD co-occur and the need for more holistic interventions are warranted. The interface of co-morbid health conditions is critical to developing integrated models of care. Integrated health care systems are central for improving physical and mental health outcomes. These findings facilitate developing targeted assessment procedures and culturally appropriate treatment interventions. Increased knowledge regarding the role of gender, chronic health conditions, and the burden of mental illness in African American Women provides the opportunity to examine other chronic health conditions co-occurring with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The literature currently contains no comprehensive sex education (CSE) interventions targeting the African immigrant population. African immigrant mothers have been inhibited by several factors from providing their daughters with CSE. The primary aim of this study was to identify attitudes and beliefs of Sub-Saharan immigrant mothers living in the United States towards providing comprehensive sex education to their daughters aged 12-17 years. The study utilized a one-time anonymous nine-question survey. Fifteen women who met the inclusion criteria completed the study survey online or via paper format. African immigrant mothers are willing to allow comprehensive sex to be taught in schools and at home. Accepted education appears to range from religious and moral teaching to some factual information. This research will potentially assist in the designing of more culturally appropriate comprehensive sex education programs for African immigrant mothers and their daughters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the HELPP (Health, Education on Safety, and Legal Support and Resources in IPV Participant Preferred) intervention among IPV survivors. A sequential, transformative mixed-methods design was used. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three study groups: Online (ONL), Face-to-Face (FTF), and Waitlist Control (WLC). The HELPP intervention was offered to 32 adult female participants who were 45.2% Asian, 32.3% White, and 22.5% Black. Outcome measures were anxiety, depression, anger, personal, and social support. In total, 64% (n  =  20) of the participants reported having experienced IPV before the age of 18. The anger mean score pre-test to post-test difference was significant for ONL (p < 0.001) and WLC (p  =  0.01). The personal and social support pre-test to post-test mean score differences were significant for ONL (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) and WLC (p  =  0.01; p  =  0.006), respectively. The HELPP intervention (1) decreased anxiety, depression, anger, and (2) increased personal and social support in the ONL group. The HELPP information and intervention was shown to be feasible, acceptable, and effective among IPV survivors compared with participants in the WLC group. The WLC participants displayed (1) increased levels of anxiety, depression, and anger and (2) decreased levels of personal and social support, post-intervention. Further research could be conducted to determine if e-mail alone or e-mail plus mobile devices are more useful modes of delivering interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the mental health consequences of abuse among Jordanian women and tested the effectiveness of using cognitive behavioral interventions to change the level of depression and level of stress among Jordanian women experiencing intimate partner abuse (IPA). A mixed methods design using phenomenology and quasi-experimental research data collection and analysis was implemented. The most commonly reported form of abuse was psychological abuse. Prior to cognitive behavioral intervention, participants demonstrated moderate to severe levels of depression, low levels of perceived social support, moderate to high levels of self-efficacy, and used approach coping skills more frequently than avoidance coping. Cognitive behavioral interventions resulted in decreased depression ( p == .003) and decreased stress levels, although this finding did not reach significance ( p > .05). Cognitive behavioral interventions are effective interventions when working with women experiencing IPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]