Photovoice: Assessing the Long-Term Impact of a Disaster on a Community's Quality of Life.

Photovoice is a qualitative method of inquiry whereby individuals can document their lived experiences, particularly individuals whose voices are not typically heard in regard to promoting social change and policy development. We used photovoice to elicit major themes regarding community members' perceptions of the long-term impact on their quality of life as a deadly technological disaster hit a small, rural town in South Carolina. Overall, participants photographed more negative images than positive.

Engaging a chemical disaster community: lessons from Graniteville.

Community engagement remains a primary objective of public health practice. While this approach has been adopted with success in response to many community health issues, it is rarely adopted in chemical disaster response. Empirical research suggests that management of chemical disasters focuses on the emergency response with almost no community engagement for long-term recovery.

Effects of Promoting Health Among Teens on Dietary, Physical Activity and Substance Use Knowledge and Behaviors for African American Adolescents.

Background: African Americans are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease and cancer. Health promotion interventions hold promise for reducing health disparities.

Purpose: Promoting Health Among Teens (PHAT) is a brief, culturally tailored health education intervention to decrease cardiovascular disease and cancer risk for African Americans.

Using nominal technique to inform a sexual health program for black youth.

Objectives: To describe how nominal group technique (NGT) was used to inform the development of a sexual health education program for black high school youth in the South.

Methods: NGT was used with a community advisory board (CAB) to obtain information regarding the key components of a sexual health program for youth in their community.

Results: The CAB identified 5 priorities to include in the program: sex education, "keeping it real," responsibility/consequences, self-esteem, and female aggressiveness.

Development of a framework for HIV/AIDS prevention programs in African American churches.

Churches and other faith-based organizations (FBOs) are a vital resource for HIV prevention and education efforts in African American communities. Few models describe how churches and FBOs have implemented such efforts within their congregations or communities, the challenges they faced, or the changes that resulted from such efforts. This article presents a framework for implementing HIV/AIDS prevention programs in African American churches based upon a qualitative investigation of Project FAITH (Fostering AIDS Initiatives that Heal), an HIV education and stigma reduction demonstration project conducted in South Carolina.

Do health beliefs, health care system distrust, and racial pride influence HPV vaccine acceptability among African American college females?

The promise of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines rests with the ability to promote widespread uptake especially among populations at high risk of cervical cancer and other associated disease outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine health beliefs and culturally specific influences of HPV vaccine acceptability among African American college females. Approximately 76 percent of participants reported HPV vaccine acceptability.

HIV testing among midlife women in the deep south: an analysis of the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data.

Objective And Background: Our objective was to examine HIV testing uptake among postmenopausal women. Many women are routinely tested for HIV during pregnancy. Disproportionate numbers of women beyond reproductive age are diagnosed HIV-positive late in the disease course.

Evaluating leadership training in African American HIV prevention organizations.

This article aimed to examine changes in the HIV prevention capacity of HIV prevention program managers who completed the Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership ("Institute") between 2002 and 2004, and who worked in community-based organizations that primarily served African Americans. Participants completed a survey at three points in time, in which they rated the frequency with which they conducted activities related to HIV prevention practice. Participants also rated their confidence in performing activities.

HIV-disclosure, social support, and depression among HIV-infected African American women living in the rural southeastern United States.

This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between social support, HIV disclosure, and depression among 340 rural African American women with HIV disease living in the southeastern United States. Three aspects of social support (perceived availability of support, sources of available support, and satisfaction with available support) were measured along with HIV disclosure and depression. Perceived availability of support (p < .

Knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors: examining human papillomavirus-related gender differences among African American college students.

Objective: Given recent approval for administration of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to men, it is important to assess the HPV-related perspectives of men and women. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in HPV knowledge, beliefs, and vaccine acceptance among college students attending 3 historically black colleges/universities in the Southeast.

Participants And Methods: A nonprobability sample of 575 students completed a self-report questionnaire.

Does education matter? Examining racial differences in the association between education and STI diagnosis among black and white young adult females in the U.S.

Objectives: Education has long been considered a protective factor against sexual risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents; however, few have explored this association and determined differences across racial/ethnic groups of young adult females on a national scale. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the association between education and STI diagnosis among a national sample of black and white young adult females and (2) examine racial differences in this association.

Methods: We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to assess the association between education and chlamydia, gonorrhea, and/or trichomoniasis (self-reported and assay-diagnosed) in 2001-2002 using logistic regression analysis.

Diversifying the academic public health workforce: strategies to extend the discourse about limited racial and ethnic diversity in the public health academy.

While public health has gained increased attention and placement on the national health agenda, little progress has been made in achieving a critical mass of underrepresented minority (URM) academicians in the public health workforce. In 2008, a telephone-based qualitative assessment was conducted with URM faculty of schools of public health to discuss this issue. As a result, we present successful strategies that institutional leaders can employ to extend the discourse about addressing limited diversity in the public health academy.

Virtual worlds: taking health promotion to new levels.

Health promotion strategies continue to evolve, with interventions using e-mail, text messaging, and Web sites becoming commonplace. The use of online virtual worlds is a less familiar venue for health promotion but offers numerous possibilities for wired citizens with health issues. The authors discuss three examples of virtual worlds--the River City Project, Whyville, and Second Life--and how health promotion strategies can be implemented in virtual worlds.

Pap test and HIV testing behaviors of South Carolina women 18-64 years old.

Background: Pap tests are used to detect abnormal cell growth in the cervix. Early detection of precancerous cells increases the likelihood of treatment success. In fact, the Pap test is one of only a few cancer screening procedures that can prevent cancer by virtue of identifying and intervening upon abnormal precancerous cells in the early stages.

Relationships between stigma, social support, and depression in HIV-infected African American women living in the rural Southeastern United States.

This cross-sectional study examined relationships between HIV-related stigma, social support, and depression in a sample of 340 HIV-infected African American women living in rural areas of the Southeastern United States. Three aspects of social support (availability of different types of support, sources of support, and satisfaction with support) and two aspects of HIV-related stigma (perceived stigma and internalized stigma) were measured. Perceived availability of support (p < .

The home smoking environment: influence on behaviors and attitudes in a racially diverse adolescent population.

Although studies indicate that public policy can influence the decrease in smoking behaviors, these policies have not necessarily transferred to home environments at the same rate. The authors surveyed 4,296 students in a southern urban area. African American students were 76.

Receipt of routine gynecological examinations among sexually active female college students in the United States.

Aims: According to leading medical organizations, it is recommended that all sexually active adolescent females, as well as any woman aged >or=18 years, obtain annual gynecological examinations. This study looked at whether female college students who were sexually active, defined as ever having vaginal intercourse and having one or more sex partner(s) in the past year, received a routine gynecological examination in the past year and whether differences existed in receipt of the examination based on students' age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, health insurance status, cigarette smoking (past 30 days), number of sex partners (past year), and gender of sex partners (past year).

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted with data from the spring 2006 National College Health Assessment.

Attitudes and sociocultural factors influencing vaginal douching behavior among English-speaking Latinas.

Objectives: To describe the practice/correlates of douching among a national sample of English-speaking Latinas.

Methods: Three hundred twenty-five (325) computer-assisted telephone interviews were completed. Analyses compare ever douchers to never douchers and identify correlates of douching.

Prevalence of impaired driving behaviors in a diverse, rural, southern middle school.

Little research has been reported on the risky behaviors of pre-driving adolescents revolving around alcohol use, in particular impaired driving behaviors, which in general have been shown to be higher in rural areas. This study investigated the prevalence of drinking while driving and riding with a drinking driver among 290 middle school students in a Mississippi Delta area middle school. Just under half (45.

Vaginal douching and intimate partner violence: is there an association?

Objective: This study tests the hypothesis that vaginal douching among women of reproductive age is associated with exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV).

Methods: The data source is a cross-sectional population-based sample of 2,002 women ages 18-45 in the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study. The survey included measures of IPV, douching behavior, and relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariates.

Sexually transmitted infections among urban shelter clients.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain common in the United States. One contributor to this persistent problem is pockets of infection among persons who may not have regular access to health care, a group that includes those who seek services at shelters.

Objective: The goals of the study were to: 1) determine the acceptability of STI testing among individuals seeking services at shelters in 2 midsized southeastern cities; 2) evaluate the prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV among these individuals; and 3) assess the proportion that subsequently learned their test results and received timely and appropriate treatment if warranted.

Racial disparities in tobacco use and social influences in a rural southern middle school.

This study investigated racial differences of tobacco use and social exposure to tobacco products in a sample of middle school students. Questionnaires were administered in January 2005 to 290 students in a Mississippi Delta-area middle school. The participants were 51.

Vaginal douche practices among black women at risk: exploring douching prevalence, reasons for douching, and sexually transmitted disease infection.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify douching patterns and their relation to sexually transmitted disease (STD) among black women seeking an STD evaluation.

Study Design: This study was a cross-sectional survey with biologic testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea infection.

Results: Of 891 participants, 46.