How Caring for an Individual with Chronic Health Conditions can Affect One's View of Health
Disciplines
Community-Based Research | Medicine and Health
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Past research has found disparities in the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions among African Americans as compared to other groups. African American men in particular are disproportionately affected by almost every chronic disease investigated. Furthermore, social determinants of health, often a result discrimination are strongly related to the health problems of African American men. Culture has also been found to be a major influence for the progression of chronic disease. Diet, exercise, stress, and sleep predict downstream health. Unfortunately, past literature investigating the effects of chronic health conditions rarely focuses on African American men, much less those involved in their healthcare beyond the doctor’s office. The current research aims to expand the literature by exploring themes and response patterns of caregivers and family members during a focus group. Family members and caregivers were interviewed about health management related to low-income African American men with chronic health conditions. The current project seeks to answer the following question; How does caring for an individual with chronic health conditions affect one’s view of health? Thematic analysis will be used to identify themes linked to the data with an inductive approach. Because motivation and experience are pertinent here, an essentialist approach will explore the semantic meaning for each emergent theme. The analysis will be conducted on a focus group comprised of caregivers and family members of low-income African American men with chronic conditions. It is expected that clear themes will emerge regarding self-reflective perspectives on health as it relates to their caregiver obligations.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Sociology & Criminal Justice
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Evelina Sterling
How Caring for an Individual with Chronic Health Conditions can Affect One's View of Health
Past research has found disparities in the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions among African Americans as compared to other groups. African American men in particular are disproportionately affected by almost every chronic disease investigated. Furthermore, social determinants of health, often a result discrimination are strongly related to the health problems of African American men. Culture has also been found to be a major influence for the progression of chronic disease. Diet, exercise, stress, and sleep predict downstream health. Unfortunately, past literature investigating the effects of chronic health conditions rarely focuses on African American men, much less those involved in their healthcare beyond the doctor’s office. The current research aims to expand the literature by exploring themes and response patterns of caregivers and family members during a focus group. Family members and caregivers were interviewed about health management related to low-income African American men with chronic health conditions. The current project seeks to answer the following question; How does caring for an individual with chronic health conditions affect one’s view of health? Thematic analysis will be used to identify themes linked to the data with an inductive approach. Because motivation and experience are pertinent here, an essentialist approach will explore the semantic meaning for each emergent theme. The analysis will be conducted on a focus group comprised of caregivers and family members of low-income African American men with chronic conditions. It is expected that clear themes will emerge regarding self-reflective perspectives on health as it relates to their caregiver obligations.