Beliefs and Preferences for Medical Research Among African-Americans.

Background And Objectives: Numerous factors contribute to underrepresentation of African-Americans in medical research, including beliefs, historical events, structural, and health access obstacles. This study examined beliefs about medical research and the types of study methods preferred among potential African-American research participants.

Methods: A sample of 304 African-American participants from the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, completed a survey evaluating beliefs about medical research and preferred research study methods.

Alcohol dependence and health care utilization in African Americans.

Objective: Ethnic and cultural differences in patterns of alcohol use disorders must be understood in order to address improvement in prevention of such disorders and accessibility to health care services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors that influence the utilization of medical and mental health services among alcohol-dependent and non-alcohol-dependent African Americans.

Method: A cohort of 454 African Americans was evaluated.

Institutional incorporation of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in residency training: achieving a sustainable curriculum.

The success of implementing a screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program within a medical residency program for sustainability is contingent upon a well-crafted training curriculum that incorporates substance abuse education and clinical practice skills. The goal of the Howard University (HU) SBIRT program is to train residents in providing culturally competent evidence-based screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for patients who have a substance use disorder or who are at risk for developing the disorder. Utilizing the Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME) allows all residents to be trained in SBIRT techniques and receive continuing education in SBIRT and SBIRT-related topics through new resident orientation and the core lecture series.

Clinical course of alcohol dependence in African Americans.

Objective: The sequence and progression of alcohol related life events were investigated in a sample of African Americans and compared with findings from a predominantly Caucasian sample.

Methods: Alcohol dependent participants were recruited from treatment facilities. Participants completed the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism to assess the physical, psychological and social manifestations of alcoholism and related disorders.