The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc最新文献

Advance directives (ADs) give patients autonomy in making decisions regarding end-of-life preferences prior to becoming incapacitated or otherwise unable to communicate. Limited family-related research currently exists on young, adult African American families and their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the utilization of ADs. A mixed-method design of quantitative data, using the Advance Directives-Knowledge, Attitudes, and Utilization Questionnaire (AD-KAUQ); and qualitative data, using a focused group session, was conducted in a southeastern city in the United States. The study surveyed 112 young, adult African American family members, ages 21-40 years, to explore their perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes toward utilizing ADs, as well as to determine whether there was a relationship between gender, education level, marital status, and occupation in making this decision. The study findings did not support evidence of significant relationships between the variables with the exception for the relationship between gender and the feeling of being treated differently for having a living will in place. This finding suggested that there was a need for members of young, adult African American families to obtain knowledge of ADs.

The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional study of African Americans was to determine the purpose and levels of health information technology (IT) use, health literacy [HL] levels, and to explore the relationship between health IT usage and HL levels. Study participants (N = 88) resided in zip codes with low wellness scores. Participants had adequate HL levels, 83% owned a computer, 65% used the Internet to access health information, those with higher education levels were more likely to use a computer to access health information, those with lower HL levels did not use a computer to access health information or to store personal health information. Participants [77%] indicated they would be willing to use a computer-based program to store their personal health information; however, concerns related to privacy were cited. Findings obtained are useful for planning and implementing health IT programs among this population to enhance health outcomes.

Scholarly tailgating and developmental relationships can soar professional identity, advance one's scholarly career and foster cultural diversity in healthcare. This paper provides the definition and basis of scholarly tailgating for scholars who wish to propel their careers and help enable diverse cultural approaches. The concept of scholarly tailgating explains the use of homophilic and diverse, multidisciplinary network relationships to foster an intellectual community in healthcare, and to benefit healthcare consumer. Scholars can benefit from standing on the shoulders of giants and allowing the aerodynamic wind to propel them to soaring career heights. Prudent scholars, apart from utilizing homophilic relationships and balancing these relationships with diverse heterophilic relationships, are able to lead in the professional academy, and become innovators who practice with cultural relevance. Multi-ethnic, diverse scholars working collaboratively can assist in igniting conversation and actions that reduce disparities, which are indigenous to those who are most vulnerable. Purposeful strategic planning and development of diverse networks that support scholarly advancement can best achieve these career accomplishments.

Studies focusing on prostate cancer in the Nigerian population, especially Nigerian male immigrants residing in the United States, are limited. Nigerian immigrants are one of the fastest growing populations of Africans currently residing in the United States. According to a report from Migration Policy Institute in Washington DC, 1.4 million African immigrants live in the United States, of which 13.1% or 185,787 are Nigerian-born individuals (Terrazas, 2009). A great number of these African immigrants (159,928/11.3%) currently reside in the Washington metropolitan area. Similar to African American males in the United States, Nigerian men are at high risk for developing prostate cancer. In Nigeria, prostate cancer constitutes 11% of all male cancers making it the #1 ranking cancer among Nigerian men.

In 2010 Dillard University and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans collaborated to secure a five year-grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health to establish a Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHHDRC) located on the campus of Dillard University. The MHHDRC is the first Federally funded Center of Excellence in the state of Louisiana. Three cores of the Center operate to achieve its mission. One core includes a clinical research associate (CRA) training program. The major goal of the program is to increase the number of minority CRAs in the state of Louisiana, especially in New Orleans and, ultimately promote greater participation and retention of minorities in clinical trials research. This article discusses the initiation of the CRA training program, its planning, community outreach, implementation, integration of multiple resources and role of collaboration in the development of the MHHDRC including accomplishments, challenges and future plans.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a measure of acculturation for Afro-Caribbean teens who might be at high risk for Sexually Transmitted Disease including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Adaptation needs become challenging as many Caribbean immigrants to the United States who are undocumented or without financial fortitude, often live in substandard urban communities with highest rates of HIV and STDs. After obtaining permission to revise the instruments and participants' consents, two existing measures of acculturation were used in this instrument development. Eight Afro-Caribbean adolescents served as judges to revise the instruments for appropriateness to Afro-Caribbean culture; they developed a composite of the two instruments. Afro-Caribbean community experts and a researcher with instrument development expertise further checked for readability and content validity. The new instrument with good content validity and high reliability was tested among 42 Afro-Caribbean youth. The results are discussed.

This paper reports on the perceived effectiveness of a program to increase awareness of the health risks of obesity among African-American students. Thirty (n = 30) senior level Bachelor of Science in Nursing students attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) took a knowledge test, then participated in an hour-long educational session on obesity. Following the session, the students completed a 10-item post-test to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in increasing awareness of obesity as a risk for heart disease and diabetes. The findings suggested a need to further educate African-American students on the consequences of obesity as well as recommendations to advance the science of personal and family risk awareness in nursing students.