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Self-affirmation has shown promise in promoting pro-health attitudes following exposure to threatening health messages by reducing defensive processing of such messages. We examine the impact of self-affirmation prior to viewing graphic cigarette warning labels on implicit and explicit attitudes toward smoking in a sample of African American smokers (N = 151). Participants held negative explicit and implicit attitudes toward smoking. We found no direct effect of self-affirmation on either implicit or explicit attitudes. Self-affirmation and risk level did not interact to predict either attitude type. We discuss findings in terms of self-affirmation theory, attitude measurement, and the meta-cognitive model of attitude change.

COVID-19 is highly contagious respiratory illness that has spread globally to over 200 countries and territories. Like never before, the world has become reliant on effective health education to fa...

Little is known about risk factors associated with poor health among employees with COPD living in Central Appalachia. Purpose: Determine variability in health distress based on risk factors, inclu...

Background: Single cigarette use among urban African Americans can perpetuate smoking continuation. There are no measures on perceptions related to reducing single cigarette use. Purpose: We develo...

OBJECTIVES: Adherence to most evidence-based cancer screenings is lower among African Americans due to system- and individual-level factors that contribute to persistent disparities. Given the recommendation for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening among individuals at high risk for lung cancer, we sought to describe aspects of decision-making for LDCT among African Americans and to examine associations between select components of decision-making and screening-related intentions. DESIGN: African Americans (N=119) with a long-term smoking history, aged 55 to 80 years, and without lung cancer were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. We measured knowledge, awareness, decisional conflict, preferences, and values related to lung cancer screening. RESULTS: The majority of the study population was of lower socioeconomic status (67.2% had an annual income of ≤$20,000) and long-term current (79%) smokers. Participants had a median 20 pack-years smoking history. Most participants (65.8%) had not heard of LDCT and the total lung cancer screening knowledge score was M=7.1/15.0 (SD=1.8). Participants with higher scores on the importance of the pros and cons of screening expressed greater likelihood of talking with a doctor, family, and friends about screening (p’s

Former college student-athletes encounter unique health-related challenges following athletic retirement. Many retired student-athletes adopt sedentary lifestyles that can lead to long-term...

This research examines how and why trust in health information from medical authorities (i.e., doctors or health care professionals and government health agencies) predicts acceptance of the HPV vaccine for one’s child among African American parents. A survey of African American parents recruited from community venues revealed that low trust in health information from government health agencies was associated with less favorable attitudes and intentions toward vaccinating their child against HPV. Trust in health information from a doctor or health care professional did not predict vaccine acceptance. Mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between trust in health information from government health agencies and vaccine acceptance was partially mediated by perceived vaccine efficacy. Implications of the findings on communicating to the African American community about the HPV vaccine are discussed.

Seven out of every 10 deaths in the United States can be attributed to chronic disease,1 with an estimated 75% of U.S. health care dollars spent on treating chronic conditions.2 Worldwide, chronic ...

Researchers propose social support as one of the factors that may explain the positive relationship often observed between religious involvement and health outcomes. African-Americans are a population that tends to have higher than average levels of religious involvement and are also disproportionately impacted by most health conditions. The present study sought to determine whether social support mediates the role of religious involvement in physical and emotional functioning and depressive symptoms, among a national probability sample of African-Americans (N = 803). Study participants completed telephone interviews. We used structural equation modelling to test hypotheses based on the theoretical model. Findings suggest evidence for a mediating role of belonging and tangible support in the association between religious behaviours and physical functioning as well as depression. There was no mediational role played by appraisal support, or for emotional functioning. Implications for faith-based health pro...

Communication practices of dental care providers are especially important to provider-patient and provider-caregiver communication because most patients report that they obtain oral health information from their dentist. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of English-speaking Maryland adults who had a child 6 years and younger in the home about the communication practices of their dentists and staff. Five questions from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey were included in a random digit dial telephone survey administered in March and April 2010. A total of 803 surveys were completed with adults 18-65 years of age who had a child in their home 6 years of age and younger. Land and cell phones were used. The analysis included frequencies, percentages, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression. The response rate was 24%. Overall, those with higher levels of education and women were more likely to respond favorably about the communication practices of their dentist and staff. Respondents whose child was insured with Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) were less likely to respond favorably. Medicaid/SCHIP recipients are the individuals with the greatest dental disease and in need of preventive information and regimens for themselves and for their children. Spending time with patients and providing them with accurate information in a manner that patients feel respected and listened to contributes to the patient's ability to understand and act upon this information. Thus, these communication practices are pivotal to increasing oral health literacy and decreasing dental disparities.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a belief in the AIDS origin conspiracy theory is related to likelihood or fear of participation in research studies. Methods: The Tuskegee Legacy Project Questionnaire was administered via random-digit-dialed telephone interview to black, white, and Hispanic participants in 4 cities in 1999 and 2000 (n = 1,133) and in 3 cities in 2003 (n = 1,162). Results: In 1999, 27.8% of blacks, 23.6% of Hispanics, and 8% of whites (P ≤ .001) reported that it was “very or somewhat likely” that AIDS is “the result of a government plan to intentionally kill a certain group of people by genocide.” In 2003, 34.1% of blacks, 21.9% of Hispanics, and 8.4% of whites (P ≤ .001) reported the same. Conclusions: Whereas blacks and Hispanics were more than 3 times more likely than whites to believe in this AIDS origin conspiracy theory, holding this belief was not associated with a decreased likelihood of participation in, or increased fear of participation in, bio...

This study examined the relationship between substance use and STD/HIV sexual risk behaviors among sexually active adolescents. Participants included ninth through twelfth grade sexually active youth (N = 7,669) who completed the 1999 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine all significant independent relationships. Use of cigarettes, cocaine and glue/ inhalants was associated with unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners. Alcohol use, binge drinking and marijuana use were associated with multiple sexual partners. Use of inhalants and glue differentiated youth who engaged in none versus two STD/HIV risk behaviors. Substance use behavior, particularly harder drugs, may place adolescents at increased risk for acquiring an STD or HIV.

Although HIV/AIDS education is recommended by health officials and professionals for all school age students, most programs are offered in middle and high schools. This report describes a comprehensive age-appropriate HIV/AIDS Awareness Education Program for kindergarten through fifth grade students. The children receive factual information about HIV disease, as well as a message of hope, understanding, and compassion for people living with the disease. The results of a program evaluation for program-improvement using a pretest post-test design indicated a significant increase in HIV/AIDS knowledge for children in the second through the fifth grade, and a significant increase in comfort levels related to HIV/AIDS for children in kindergarten through the fifth grade.

This article examines sociodemographic risk and smoking and smokeless tobacco use among a national sample of school-based adolescents who participated in the 1993 Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey. Findings show that six sociodemographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, income, type of urban area, and region) were significantly associated with cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use. Of all smokeless tobacco users, 71.5 percent were also regular smokers or experimental smokers. This article highlights the need to provide comprehensive tobacco use prevention programs that focus on both cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among school adolescents.

This study investigates the effect of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment (TSE) on participation in health promotion activities and research studies by African Americans. Random-digit dialing was used to interview 421 adults with telephones living in households in Jefferson County, Alabama in the summer of 1994. Respondents were asked if they had ever heard of the TSE and, if yes, because they knew about the experiment, were they less interested in participating in health promotion or research activities. The primary results were that African Americans, in general, reported less interest in participating in health promotion and research because of their knowledge of the TSE. African American males in particular reported a high degree of resistance because of knowledge of the TSE. These results may have implications for practitioners and researchers recruiting African American subjects for research studies and participation in health promotion and health education programs. It may be necessary to dis...

The purpose of this study was to compare AIDS/HIV risk knowledge between steroid users and their counterparts. In the fall of 1990, a survey was administered to 3,016 students enrolled in public schools in grades eight and 10. The sample comprised 56 percent female, 53 percent under the age of 15. Ethnically respondents were 67 percent white and 33 percent black. Steroid users accounted for 2.4 percent of females and 5.7 percent of males. Twelve items examined students' beliefs, myths, and issues concerning AIDS and transmission of HIV. Results show that steroid users had lower percentages of correct responses than non-steroid users (p

Article: In an attempt to improve employees' health, increase productivity, decrease medical costs, and increase employee morale, many businesses and industries are offering health promotion and disease prevention programs for their employees. Colleges and universities as worksites are no exception and may be one of the more convenient settings in which to initiate health promotion activities due to the abundance of resources within the university community, such as recreational/fitness facilities, health/medical centers, academic resources, and employee benefits/human resources offices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between contraceptive education and adolescent male contraceptive behavior and attitudes. A limitation of the study is that a convenience sample of 6 high schools was used to collect data. A modified version of a questionnaire used by Kantner and Zelnik was pilot tested revised and administered to 801 high school males in the spring of 1987. Results showed that 88% had received some contraceptive education in school. 71% reported having had sexual intercourse and 54% remained sexually active. Of the currently active sexually males who were exposed to contraceptive education only 14% used no birth control method. There were no statistical differences among those who had varying degrees of contraceptive education and the use or nonuse of any of the contraceptive methods. The findings suggest that for this sample contraceptive education had no effect on contraceptive behavior but did affect contraceptive attitudes. (authors)