African Americans (AAs) are increasingly affected by health disparities. They are least likely to seek medical attention which puts them at greater risk for illness and disease. An individual’s perception of health has been found to be a major predictor of health.
Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory research study was to identify perceptions of health in AA males in a barbershop setting.
Significance: This study is significant because AA males have increasing morbidity and mortality rates that may be decreased by modifying risk factors related to perceived health status.
Methods: The Duke Health profile-8 and a demographic questionnaire were used in this study. The Duke Health profile-8 measures quality of life or functional health status which includes scores for perceived health, physical health, mental health, social health, and disability. Low scores on the Duke Health profile-8 indicate poor health status with a score of 100% indicating the best health status. Power analysis determined that a minimum of 97 participants were needed. Data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and correlational analyses. Limitations include one ethnic group in one setting, data was self-reported, and specific questions that could impact perceptions of health were not asked, such as family history, individual’s definition of health, access to medical care, and history of discrimination in the health care setting.
Results: The average age was 36 years. A majority of the participants were single and employed. The Duke Health profile-8 scores ranged from 50% to 100%. The average score of participants was 84%. The number of health conditions were negatively correlated with physical health, perceived health, and overall health. Education level was positively correlated with mental health. Mental health scores were higher in those who were married.
Discussion: The barbershop is an optimal environment for conducting research and promoting health in addressing health disparities and knowledge gaps. Identifying perceptions of health can assist health care providers in creating interventions specific to individuals to decrease risk factors and improve health outcomes. Evidence-based interventions can be utilized by medical-surgical nurses to positively impact health outcomes.
Evidence-based references
1. Stewart, K., Ristvedt, S., Brown, K.M., Waters, E.A., Trinkaus, K., McCray, N., & James, A.S. (2019). Giving voice to Black men: Guidance for increasing the likelihood of having a usual source of care. American Journal of Men’s
2. Health, May-June 2019, 1–11. DOI: 10.1177/1557988319856738 journals.sagepub.com/home/jm
3. Zahrt, O. H., & Crum, A. J. (2017). Perceived physical activity and mortality: Evidence from three nationally representative U.S. samples. Health Psychology, 36(11), 1017-1025. doi: 10.1037/hea0000531