Objective: The study aimed to understand the perceptions, knowledge, information sources, and coping skills pertaining to COVID-19 among two groups of African American young adults. Participants: ...African American ages 18-29 years enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and non-college enrolled young adults in Mississippi were the participants. Methods: Focus groups were conducted from February through May 2021. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings suggest the college students faced anxiety and stress from the loss of loved ones and the college experience. Non-college enrolled young adults dealt with maintaining employment, pros and cons of taking the vaccine to continue work, and handling the frequent flow of information. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of ensuring that reliable and trustworthy health promotion and health crisis prevention information, resources, and coping tools are available in the environments in which young adults live, learn, and work.
Purpose of Review
The purpose of this review is to examine the existing information regarding cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) manifestations among underrepresented minority populations, ...underrepresented minorities’ representation in the cardiometabolic workforce, and the models that successfully recruit and retain underrepresented minorities in the field.
Recent Findings
The scientific literature is replete with information on methods to recruit and train URM in research careers. However, there are few programs that are specifically designed to train URM to become diabetes researchers, or more specifically cardiometabolic researchers.
Summary
The CMS scientific community leaders do not have to design a new learning program to engage URM in research. They only have to follow the prototypes by other organizations and make applicable to cardiometabolic research.
The United States is the largest refugee resettlement country in the world. Refugees may face health-related challenges after resettlement in the United States, including higher rates of chronic ...diseases due to problems such as language barriers and difficulty adapting to new food environments. However, reported refugee diet challenges varied, and no systematic examination has been reported. This study examined refugee food intake pre- and postresettlement in the United States and differences in intake across various refugee groups. We systematically reviewed relevant studies that reported on refugee food intake and adaptation to the US food environment. We searched PubMed for literature published between January 1985 and April 2015, including cross-sectional and prospective studies. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Limited research has been conducted, and most studies were based on small convenience samples. In general, refugees increased meat and egg consumption after resettling in the United States. Changes in refugee intake of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products varied by socioeconomic status, food insecurity, past food deprivation experience, length of stay in the United States, region of origin, and age. South Asians were more likely to maintain traditional diets, and increased age was associated with more conservative and traditional diets. Despite the abundance of food in the United States, postresettlement refugees reported difficulty in finding familiar or healthy foods. More research with larger samples and follow-up data are needed to study how refugees adapt to the US food environment and what factors may influence their food- and health-related outcomes. The work could inform future interventions to promote healthy eating and living among refugees and help to reduce health disparities.
The Jackson Heart Study Harris, Kisa K.; Henderson, Frances; White, Wendy B. ...
Ethnicity & disease,
2020, Letnik:
30, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In 1999, Tougaloo College (TC), located in Jackson, Mississippi, was charged, as a part of its role in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), with creating a pool of well-trained high school students who, ...upon entering college, could successfully complete undergraduate and graduate or professional degrees in the health professions, biomedical research, and public health. TC identified the following educational challenges experienced by Mississippi high school students: inadequate exposure to reading, writing, logic, and quantitative skills; inadequate course work in science and mathematics; lack of mentors and role models in science-related fields as well as for exploration and identification of career options in the health professions and biomedical research. To this end, the JHS Undergraduate Training and Education Center (JHS UTEC) developed three four-week summer workshops in Science, Language Arts, and Mathematics (SLAM) for high school students in grades 9 through 11. Since SLAM’s inception, more than 900 students have completed the program, and more than 90% have enrolled in college. In addition, according to National Student Clearinghouse and participant-reported data, many of the SLAM participants have earned not only undergraduate degrees in science, but also graduate degrees in a health-related and STEM fields. This article details the SLAM curricula and strategies for recruiting, selecting, training, and retaining high school students; we also present data to illustrate the success of the SLAM program.
The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) is a single-site prospective epidemiologic investigation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among African Americans from the central Jackson, Mississippi area. The study is ...a collaboration between Jackson State University (JSU), University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), Tougaloo College (TC), and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). The JHS Undergraduate Training and Education Center (JHSUTEC) at TC was developed to increase the numbers of college-aged African American students entering public health and health-related fields. To achieve this goal, the UTEC designed the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) Scholars program.
JHS Scholars are required to take additional classes and participate in public health and/or biomedical research. The scholars engage in research locally during the academic year. However, many scholars participate in research outside of the Jackson Metropolitan area during the summer. Because of this, national collaborators were needed to act as mentors and hosts.
Since the inception of the JHSUTEC, more than 15 collaborations have been formed that have shared resources and student successes. As of May 2018, more than150 students have successfully completed the JHS Scholars program and many have continued into careers in public health, biomedical research, and medicine. Since 2004, JHS scholars have published 29 papers and 15 scholars have received diversity supplements.
Collaborative activities and public health partnerships have contributed to the success of the JHSUTEC program and have served as a pathway of entry into STEM fields for minority students.
Abstract only Introduction: Challenges in engaging and recruiting rural communities into health research stem from known barriers such as decreased healthcare awareness, less access to health ...research, community context and low education. Within rural communities, the demographic that is the most challenging to recruit is men ages 25-44 years. However, there is little data on what factors improve participation among young men in rural areas. The purpose of our study was to explore the reasons for the reluctance of men ages 25-44 to participate in research and identify factors can encourage their willingness to participate in the NHLBI’s Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Study. Methods: In June 2022 and June 2023 respectively, the Mississippi (MS) Core of the RURAL Study conducted health fairs in Oktibbeha and Panola counties. Investigators used the health fairs as an opportunity to recruit participants for focus group interviews to explore questions related to men’s health awareness, health behaviors and likelihood to participate in the RURAL Study. Those recruited included community advisory board members and health fair attendees. One focus group in each county consisted of men only. Investigators conducted 4 virtual focus group interviews in each of the two counties. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and sub-themes. Results: Thirty-two (32) interviewees, including 25 women. participated in focus groups across the two counties (17 Oktibbeha,15 Panola). Four key themes and 8 subthemes were identified. Lack of health awareness, fear of harm, inability to see the benefits of participation, and lack of incentives were among the reasons men ages 25-44 do not participate in research in these rural areas. Investigators learned that providing health education with reassurance of no harm, promoting the benefits of participation to themselves their families and communities, providing meaningful incentives, and motivating them through influences from family, friends and third parties can encourage participation by men in this age group. Particularly, it was suggested health awareness investigators should host events explicitly for men (including small group question and answer sessions) and be visible in the community by going where the young men go such as barbershops, sporting events, gyms, and men’s organizational meetings and by staying in touch. Conclusion: In this study consisting of 8 focus groups conducted across two rural communities, key themes identified to improve young male participation in health research include: 1) addressing perceived concerns through awareness and reassurance of no harm,2) informing potential candidates for the study the benefits of participation, 3) maintaining a presence in the community through community engagement and 4) identifying and social motivators such as family, friends and third-party influencers.
Abstract only Background: Rural communities have historically been difficult to study compared to their urban counterparts and are underrepresented in research. There are several potential barriers ...to reaching rural populations; however, there remains a knowledge gap regarding participation in health research by rural people. To drive meaningful, lasting change in rural communities through research, investigators sought to understand the facilitators and barriers to conducting research among rural populations. We conducted focus group interviews to elucidate the viewpoints of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) members in Oktibbeha and Panola Counties. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators to participation in research in Oktibbeha and Panola Counties in the Risk Underlying Rural Area Longitudinal (RURAL) Study. Method: Data were collected via focus group interviews of eight men and women with diverse economic and educational backgrounds to represent the demographics of each county best. Each interview was recorded using digital recorders and then transcribed . A thematic analysis of the data was developed from each of the transcripts, then analyzed and interpreted by three qualitative researchers. Results: Focus Group Participants (FGPs) identified the strengths of their counties that make it easy to participate in research as; progressive thinking and diversity, close-knit communities where people know each other so that the word gets out, and “where trust is key.” Barriers to participation in research were identified as limited prior exposure to research, distrust of the process, fear that data may paint their community in a negative light, and fear that the government will take something away from them as a consequence of participation in research. Reaching the target number of participants for each county is achievable according to FGPs and would mean the groundwork they have laid has been effective. Approaches for getting the word out to people in Panola and Oktibbeha Counties about the RURAL Study included use of radio and TV, social media, word-of-mouth, door-to-door, community events, churches, paper media, going into the community, community outreach, and communicating the benefits of the research. Conclusion: Investigators concluded that reaching the target number of participants for each county is meaningful to the CABs, and it is highly likely that the recruitment target will be achieved.
Abstract only Background: The Appalachia and Mississippi Delta regions have the lowest life expectancy in the United States. In response, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Louisiana were selected ...for The Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Study. The RURAL study is an observational population-based study focused on these at-risk communities in the rural south. During the planning phase, investigators identified the need to incorporate insights from the community in the proposal. Therefore, they initiated the “Rural Community Listening Project” in the four states to seek community members’ points of view on outreach research in their communities. The objectives of this research were to hear from members of the communities their concerns and ideas about health research, approaches that would promote their willingness to participate, and their willingness to have blood drawn and x-rays taken as a part of the research process. Method: Mississippi investigators conducted four focus group interviews with 10-12 participants in each focus group. They interviewed a total of 45 men and women between the ages of 35 to 65 in county-specific focus groups. The groups represented four rural Mississippi Counties: LeFlore, Oktibbeha, Panola, and Tishomingo. The investigators digitally recorded the interviews and had them transcribed, then analyzed the transcripts using thematic analysis. Results: Two themes arose: (1) Encouragement to Participate and (2) Barriers to Participation. Encouragement to Participate included (1) having trusted community stakeholders involved, (2) helping the community, (3) promoting one’s health, and (4) receiving feedback on one’s health. Barriers included lack of trust, time, location, and transportation. Overall, the focus group interviewees had not participated in health research but would be willing to do so. Participants had little to no experience in doing health surveys or tracking their health information using mobile or electronic devices but did not raise objections to doing so. Word-of-mouth, social media, newspaper, telephone, cell phone, and mail were recommended as modes of communicating with their communities. “Relevance to the individual” arose as a more prominent encourager than monetary incentives. Focus group interviewees reported trusting doctors, nurses, and health care providers in their respective communities to collect health information. Conclusion: The in-common barriers to participation in research were time, transportation, and location. Across all focus groups, trust emerged as a requisite for research participation. The model of listening to the community’s experiences, concerns, and recommendations can potentially inform future research practices in rural communities and changes to related state and/or local policies.
Abstract only Background: The voice of the community is powerful in suggesting strategies for engaging in research. Members of Oktibbeha and Panola County, Mississippi Advisory Boards affiliated with ...the Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Study suggested that a health fair would spread the word throughout their communities about participating in the Study. The objective is to tell the story of how a County-wide community health fair can encourage those who attend to consider participating or not participating in the RURAL Study. The RURAL Study is an observational, population-based study focusing on heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders in 10 rural counties in four southern states: Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. Methods: To engage the communities with the RURAL Study, Health Fairs were implemented in Panola and Oktibbeha Counties in Mississippi. Following the Health Fairs, Investigators conducted focus group interviews with four groups of attendees in each County to explore the success of the Health Fair and the attendees’ willingness to participate or not participate in the RURAL Study. Focus group interviewees were RURAL Study Community Advisory Board (CAB) members, local community engagement consultants, men, and participants at-large. Investigators conducted focus group interviews following the June 11, 2022, Oktibbeha County Community Health Fair and following the Panola County Community Health Fair held on April 29, 2023. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Thirty-two individuals were interviewed representing Oktibbeha (17) and Panola (15) counties. Two main themes arose from the focus group interviews: giving and gathering information/getting the word out and enlightened awareness of requirements for and benefits of participation. Giving and gathering information/getting the word out included dissemination of information through promotional material, word of mouth, social media, flyers to churches, and presentations by the RURAL Study Principal Investigator. Attendees could gather information and be assisted in signing up to be a participant. Enlightened awareness of the requirements for and the benefits of participation included the realization that participation in the RURAL Study provides free screening, allows participants to keep up with their health, helps the individual participant and his/her kids, and benefits the community. Health Fair attendees who didn’t know that they could participate learned that they could. Conclusions: Providing detailed information through many channels and engaging the community can help to promote interest in a research study. A County Community Health Fair served as a community engagement strategy to encourage attendees to consider participating in the RURAL Study.
Purpose
The aim of this article is to show the impact of the use of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research supplements in the training of African American students affiliated with the Jackson ...Heart Study (JHS).
Recent Findings
The JHS Undergraduate Training and Education Center (UTEC) at Tougaloo College has had 19 students to be awarded research supplements.
Summary
The awardees gained invaluable skills while working on the research supplements. Additionally, research supplement awards inspired these students to not only consider working in health-related fields, but to continue to engage in research activities and to mentor.
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