Giving Voice to Black Men: Guidance for Increasing the Likelihood of Having a Usual Source of Care

Black men suffer inequalities in health and health-care outcomes relative to other racial/ethnic groups, requiring well-informed efforts for health promotion. Fewer Black men have a usual source of health care, which may be a contributor to these disparities. Increasing access to and the likelihood...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of men's health 2019-05, Vol.13 (3), p.1557988319856738
Main Authors: Stewart, Karyn A., Ristvedt, Stephen, Brown, Katherine M., Waters, Erika A., Trinkaus, Kathryn, McCray, Natasan, James, Aimee S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Black or African American
Empowerment
Family Relations
Focus Groups
Health Promotion
Healthcare Disparities
Humans
Insurance Coverage
Insurance, Health
Male
Middle Aged
Original
Patient Participation
Physician-Patient Relations
Primary Health Care
Trust
United States
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Summary:Black men suffer inequalities in health and health-care outcomes relative to other racial/ethnic groups, requiring well-informed efforts for health promotion. Fewer Black men have a usual source of health care, which may be a contributor to these disparities. Increasing access to and the likelihood of a usual source of care among Black men are important to address health and health-care disparities. In this focus group study, we sought to better understand how Black men think about primary care and usual sources of care. A total of six focus groups were conducted with N = 25 men. Groups were a mix of men with and without a usual source of care. Several themes were identified through analysis of the data regarding factors that contribute to Black men going to the doctor. Themes identified in the data analysis included Lack of Health Insurance as a Barrier to Establishing Usual Source of Care; Family Promoting Health Care Use; Relationship With Doctor, Trust, and Empowerment; Age and Maturity in Health Promotion; and Positive Tone of Messaging. Future research should explore if similar findings are obtained among men in different regions of the United States or between Black men of different backgrounds. Taking a step beyond this research, specifically, future research can also examine the impact of particular health messages/messaging on Black men’s health-care-seeking behaviors.
ISSN:1557-9883
1557-9891
1557-9891
DOI:10.1177/1557988319856738