title: It's all sacred: African American women's perspectives on spirituality.
abstract: In this study, we examined the meaning and function of spirituality for a group of African American women. Participants had been recruited for a focus group study exploring the significance of mother-daughter-sister relationships to the well being and health behavior choices of women. Women developed individually defined concepts of spirituality by combining Judeo-Christian traditions and African cosmology. Spirituality was a cornerstone of many participants' daily lives. It influenced women's decision-making and behavior across many realms. For example, many women came to the conclusion that domestic violence was not part of God's plan for their lives. Spiritual-based strategies may provide a rich foundation for innovative and efficacious health promotion interventions targeting African American women. Clinicians can assist in the co-creation of sacred spaces where women can connect with themselves and each other.
authors.affiliation: MU Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri--Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA. Banks.WallaceJ@health.missouri.edu
authors.forename: JoAnne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Banks-Wallace
authors.forename: Lennette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D029181:Spirituality; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*