Community Studies
Social Network Experience and Perception of Arthritis Treatment
In a study of African-American, Latino and Caucasian Medicare beneficiaries, patients with disabling hip and knee pain seek surgical treatment only when a member of their social network has had previous successful experience with the treatment. Few African-Americans with arthritis had successful surgical treatments. This may help explain why hip and knee replacements are used less frequently in the African-American community, where severe disabling arthritis is common. Understanding and addressing patients' expectations and experiences may be critical to overcoming barriers to adopting effective treatments and reducing disparities in health care.
Community Studies
Alternative Medicine and Minorities: Use of complementary and alternative medicine in minority populations.
Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MS, MPH, Hyde and Watson Foundation 2001-2002The goal was to determine the types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by African-Americans in New York City, the specific reasons why African-Americans use the specific modalities, and the cultural beliefs associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine. The results of this study led directly to the proposal for sub-studies of explanatory models of illness and CAM use in our NHLBI program project. The goal of this qualitative study was to determine the types of complementary and alternative medicine used by African-Americans in New York City, the specific reasons why African-Americans use the specific modalities, and the cultural beliefs associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with members of African-American communities in New York. In addition complementary and alternative practitioners in the African-American community were also interviewed. The interviews focused on the reasons, perceptions and cultural beliefs associated with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use.
Alternative Medicine and Adherence: CAM and medication adherence in hypertensive patients.
Jason Moore, NHLBI MIGRS supplement, NHLBIThe goal is to describe the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine therapies used by African-Americans with poorly controlled hypertension in managing their condition; to use qualitative approaches to develop a taxonomy that describes the categories of CAM used by African-Americans in treating hypertension; and to determine whether there is an association between use of CAM and medication adherence.
Control Strategies: Strategies employed by cancer patients to gain control over their cancer.
Lilli Link MD, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Fellowship Project, 1999Using qualitative research methods, Dr. Link conducted in-depth interviews of cancer patients recently diagnosed or treated to learn about the strategies patients use to control or deal with their cancer, and to understand the factors which influence their choice and use of different approaches to dealing with their cancer. Dr. Link identified a five stage process of coping, and elucidated key factors that act as mediators in patients' attempts to take control of their cancer. She is now a post-doctoral fellow at the Cancer Center at Columbia and is planning a study to test her model.
