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Journals track the journey of the researcher elucidating how we learn and evolve over the process of conducting research. They allow us to weave together our private and professional lives which helps us better understand how the different contexts in which we live our lives come together to shape various aspects of the research process. This essay examines how journaling assisted me to more fully understand my work as a nurse scholar engaged in community-based health promotion research. Particular attention is given to exploring what it means to remain committed in long-term research studies and how team members' lives affect their ability to carry out interventions. Implications of findings for future design of intervention studies are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Explore changes in walking behavior, blood pressure, and weight over the course of a pilot intervention designed to increase physical activity. Design: A pre/post single group design was used to examine outcomes of a 12-month group intervention with 6-month follow-up. Sample: Twenty-one sedentary, hypertensive African American women residing in Mid-Missouri with a mean age of 50.3 years. Intervention: A 3-hour monthly meeting was paired with an at-home walking component. Results: Mean steps per day taken by participants were 3857 at baseline, 4060 at the end of the group intervention, and 5282 at the end of the follow-up period. Mean systolic blood pressure was 142 mmHg at baseline, 123 mmHg at intervention end, and 130 mmHg at 18 months. Mean diastolic blood pressure at baseline was 87 mmHg, 80 mmHg at 12 months, and 78 mmHg at the end of the follow-up period. Mean weight decreased from 206 lbs at baseline to 188 lbs at the end of the intervention. However, mean weight had increased to 213 lbs by the end of the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Outcomes from this pilot study are encouraging with respect to the potential of group level interventions as a strategy for promoting cardiovascular health among hypertensive African American women. It is particularly noteworthy that women maintained decreases in systolic blood pressure and further decreased diastolic blood pressure despite regaining weight during the follow-up period. Replication of this study with a larger sample size and control group will significantly enhance our ability to evaluate whether the unusual pattern of change in walking behavior noted in this pilot was a fluke or indicative of a slower pattern of change in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to explicate changes in steps per day observed over the course of a pilot study concerned with promoting walking. A pre/post single group design was used to evaluate a 12-month group intervention with 6-month follow-up with a sample of twenty-one sedentary, hypertensive African American women 25-68 years of age. A 3-hour monthly meeting was paired with an at-home walking component. Results indicated that the total group experienced a slight increase (5%) in mean steps per day at the end of the 12-month intervention, while a subgroup experienced a 13% decrease. However, mean steps per day increased from baseline to 6-month follow-up for both groups. Mean steps per day increased from 3857 to 5582 (37%) for total group and from 4659 to 7038 (51%) for the subgroup. Conclusions: A group intervention can have a positive impact on promoting walking among African American women; however, multi-phased interventions may be necessary to assist this population meet current physical activity recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the meaning and function of spirituality for a group of African American women. Participants had been recruited for a focus group study exploring the significance of mother-daughter-sister relationships to the well being and health behavior choices of women. Women developed individually defined concepts of spirituality by combining Judeo-Christian traditions and African cosmology. Spirituality was a cornerstone of many participants' daily lives. It influenced women's decision-making and behavior across many realms. For example, many women came to the conclusion that domestic violence was not part of God's plan for their lives. Spiritual-based strategies may provide a rich foundation for innovative and efficacious health promotion interventions targeting African American women. Clinicians can assist in the co-creation of sacred spaces where women can connect with themselves and each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes evidence-based interventions designed to increase physical activity among older adults. Health and quality of life benefits from evidence-based interventions; Emphasis of interventions on physical behavior; Effectiveness of exercise prescription and behavior modification.

Global shortages of nurses, limited resources, and increasing transnational crises mandate changes in healthcare planning and delivery. Disciplinary knowledge is integral to the development of nurse practitioners and researchers who can provide leadership role in addressing critical healthcare problems. This collaborative meditation examines how critical reflection about disciplinary knowledge in the context of nursing doctoral education facilitates this endeavor. Factors that constrain the development of disciplinary knowledge are discussed. Suggestions for further development of disciplinary knowledge are offered.

Decreasing health disparities between White Americans and racial/ethnic minority populations is a public health priority. An ongoing inability to attract sufficient numbers of African Americans and other people of color to participate in research studies is a major barrier to accomplishing this goal. Participation of racial/ethnic minorities in intervention studies is especially critical to the development of appropriate strategies to promote health among these populations. This article examines the effectiveness of preintervention meetings as well as interactions between African American research team members and potential participants as recruitment strategies. Intersections between recruitment and health promotion are also addressed.