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Health-Protective Mechanisms among Communities of Color
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Health-Protective Mechanisms among Communities of Color

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 7146

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Courtney S. Thomas Tobin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Community Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, Faculty Associate, The Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
Interests: psychosocial stress and coping; frican Americans; racial and SES health disparities; aging and the life course; mental-physical health comorbidities; maternal and child health; psychobiology of stress; biomarkers
Dr. Angela Gutierrez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Social Medicine, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
Interests: health disparities research; risk and resilience; psychosocial resources and coping

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

World events have exacerbated persistent health disparities and increased public awareness of the unique challenges faced by communities of color. Substantial evidence pinpoints risk factors contributing to poor health outcomes, but these studies primarily (a) focus on documenting differences by race/ethnicity/nativity; (b) neglect sources of heterogeneity within groups; and (c) exclude some racial/ethnic groups (e.g., Asian Americans, Native Americans). Consequently, far less is known about the development or impact of health-protective factors among these groups. 

To address these limitations and inform effective evidence-based, health-promoting interventions, this special issue seeks to enhance our understanding of the structural/institutional, cultural, social, and psychological pathways to positive health among communities of color. Rather than emphasizing deficits within communities, we encourage scholars to use an asset-based perspective to identify the factors contributing to resilience among these populations. 

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Health impact of social and psychological resources (e.g., social support, religiosity/spirituality, racial/ethnic identity, coping) across the life course
  • Differences in health outcomes by immigration status 
  • Within-group heterogeneity (e.g., by age, sex, race, ancestry)
  • Social determinants of health across distinct ecological levels (e.g., policy, community, interpersonal, intrapersonal levels)

Dr. Courtney S. Thomas Tobin
Dr. Angela Gutierrez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 373 KiB  
Article
Pushing Past Limits: How Efficacious Is High-Effort Coping for Self-Rated Health among African American and Caribbean Black Women?
by Millicent N. Robinson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13460; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013460 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1363
Abstract
Due to systemic oppression, Black women experience distinct risks across the life course, such as exposure to various stressors that shape lower ratings of self-rated health. This is important given that self-rated health is a stronger indicator of current morbidity and subsequent mortality [...] Read more.
Due to systemic oppression, Black women experience distinct risks across the life course, such as exposure to various stressors that shape lower ratings of self-rated health. This is important given that self-rated health is a stronger indicator of current morbidity and subsequent mortality than physician assessments. However, there has been limited consideration of the role of coping in shaping self-rated health among this group. John Henryism, or high-effort coping, is a culturally relevant coping style that reflects the broader societal, cultural, and historical context that shapes lived experiences of Black populations navigating racism and capitalism in the U.S., and has received limited consideration in health research among Black women. Additionally, less is known regarding how ethnicity shapes John Henryism and health processes among Black women specifically. Therefore, the present study examined the association between John Henryism and self-rated health among African American and Caribbean Black women (n = 1580) collectively, and explored this association among Caribbean Black women specifically, utilizing the National Survey of American Life (NSAL 2001–2003). Findings show that while John Henryism was not directly associated with self-rated health among either group, once sociodemographic characteristics and stress exposure were accounted for, John Henryism was associated with lower odds of fair or poor self-rated health among both groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Protective Mechanisms among Communities of Color)
16 pages, 360 KiB  
Article
The Role of Social Support in Cardiovascular Clinical Trial Participation among Black Men: Black Impact
by Sarah Addison, Yesol Yang, Faith Metlock, Mikayla King, Alicia McKoy, Amaris Williams, John Gregory, Darrell M. Gray II, Joshua J. Joseph and Timiya S. Nolan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12041; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912041 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1854
Abstract
Background: Attainment of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) metrics reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; yet, Black Americans have the lowest LS7 attainment among all communities, the highest rate of CVD mortality, and low clinical trial participation. Social support is positively [...] Read more.
Background: Attainment of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) metrics reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; yet, Black Americans have the lowest LS7 attainment among all communities, the highest rate of CVD mortality, and low clinical trial participation. Social support is positively correlated with chronic disease self-management. Here, we describe the role of social support in a single-arm pilot clinical trial of a community-based lifestyle intervention among Black American men. Methods: The 24-week intervention featured weekly team-based physical activity and LS7-themed education. Seventy-four Black men participated in the intervention; twenty agreed to participate in exit surveys via one of three semi-structured focus groups. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis framed by House’s social support framework. Results: Participants reported support from both peers and health coaches. The sub-themes of social support among peers were: (1) acknowledgement, understanding, and validation, (2) inspiration, (3) sense of community, (4) fear of disappointing fellow participants, and (5) group synergy. The sub-themes of social support from the health coaches and study team staff included: (1) contemplation of current health status, (2) racial concordance of health coaches and study team staff, (3) investment of the research team, (4) incentives, (5) access to healthcare providers, and (6) the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotional support was the most frequently discussed theme. Conclusions: Social support, especially emotional support, from peers and health coaches was a driver of clinical trial participation among participants. The intervention created a positive social environment and decreased medical mistrust. This intervention may provide a framework by which to facilitate clinical trial participation among Black men. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Protective Mechanisms among Communities of Color)
29 pages, 442 KiB  
Article
Critical Consciousness for Connectivity: Decoding Social Isolation Experienced by Latinx and LGBTQ+ Youth Using a Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Health Equity
by Nancy Vargas, Jesse L. Clark, Ivan A. Estrada, Cynthia De La Torre, Nili Yosha, Mario Magaña Alvarez, Richard G. Parker and Jonathan Garcia
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 11080; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191711080 - 4 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3265
Abstract
Systemic oppression creates a context in which Latinx LGBTQ+ youth experience social isolation. Social isolation has been associated with mental and physical health disparities, including disproportionate levels of depression, substance use, self-harm, and attempted suicide. These disparities are often magnified in rural and [...] Read more.
Systemic oppression creates a context in which Latinx LGBTQ+ youth experience social isolation. Social isolation has been associated with mental and physical health disparities, including disproportionate levels of depression, substance use, self-harm, and attempted suicide. These disparities are often magnified in rural and suburban areas with fewer identity-affirming spaces. This community-engaged study reports on the formative process of developing a Latinx LGBTQ+ telenovela (soap opera) allyship intervention based on critical consciousness theory. We conducted eight focus groups with community advisory boards, which included Latinx LGBTQ+ youth (n = 12), health and social service providers serving LGBTQ+ youth (n = 10), 4-H Latinx alumni youth (n = 12), and 4-H Latinx parents (n = 8). We interviewed nine Latinx LGBTQ+ youth enrolled in a film-making workshop. As a result of our multi-stakeholder approach, we: (1) described how stakeholders reflected on and decoded intersectional isolation on the individual, community, and structural levels; and (2) identified ways that stakeholders suggested taking action by improving access to resources to address social isolation, provide culturally competent healthcare, and co-create an enabling social environment. Our study indicated the importance of tapping into core values and intersectional identities to build solidarity among and within marginalized groups to dismantle oppressive systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Protective Mechanisms among Communities of Color)
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