Social Ecological Factors Influencing Cancer-Related Preventive Health Behaviors in African American Men
Year: 2010
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Problem Statement: African American men are disproportionately burdened by cancer and mortality rates among African American men for prostate and colorectal cancer are particularly high compared to other racial/ethnic groups.Poor health behaviors are known contributors to cancer risk yet little is known about the cancer-related preventive health behaviors undertaken by African American men.Health behaviors occur in the context of social and ecological conditions which are hypothesized to influence healthrelated decision-making.Little research has been done to evaluate the contribution of social and ecological conditions to cancer-related preventive health behaviors among black men.Methods: The purpose of this study was to identify social and ecological predictors of cancer-related preventive health behaviors in African American men.African American men over the age of 18 (N=229) were recruited from a community health fair in East Cleveland, Ohio and anonymously surveyed about their demographic characteristics, health practices, health histories, and several conditions of their social environment.Analysis included correlations and logistic regression.Findings: Most participants were over the age of 40 (88.6%),unmarried (59.8%), and had at least a high school diploma (91%); while 48.5% reported being unemployed.With regard to the cancer-preventive health behavior outcomes under study; 35.4% (N=81) of black male participants had received any type of colorectal cancer screening (e.g.colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy) while half of respondents (N=116) reported having received a form of your presence.To three of the most important people in my life, Lessie Shorter, Jovanna Tyree, and Brooke Burns Jackson, the sisterhood I have experienced during my friendship with each of you individually and collectively has changed my life.Your honesty, encouragement, and prayers have fortified me in adversity.To my mother, Valerie, thank you for instilling in me the importance of education and follow-through to achieve my goals.I would like to acknowledge my father James Price, who taught me by example to be persistent an undeterred by rejection.To my brother James Zachary, your work ethic and vision at such a young age has been an inspiration for me, and I hope I have made you proud also.To my mother-in-law, Dr. Angela Webster-Smith, thank you for always encouraging me, praying for me, and setting an example of excellence for African American women in academia.I would like to acknowledge my dear friends Esther and Guylando Moreno
Author: Jaymia Ann Mitchell
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2400626268