title: A qualitative study of hardiness and social support among underserved, inner-city minority adults recovering from oral surgery.
abstract: Using qualitative data, this study examines hardiness and social support among twenty-two African American and Hispanic subjects, at least 18 years of age, who received treatment for a jaw fracture and participated in an hour-long focus group to discuss the treatment they received at King/Drew Medical Center, an inner-city hospital in Los Angeles, California. Treatment was either a non-surgical wiring of the teeth closed for six to eight weeks or surgical placement of a metal bone plate in the lower jaw with a short period of jaw fixation following surgery. A mandibular fracture is one of the most common orofacial traumas for minority individuals, and the majority of these fractures among patients at urban trauma centers are a result of interpersonal violence. Thus the link between psychosocial stress and oral health is evident, yet exposure to daily stress does not automatically place one at risk for distress. Some people under daily stress have hardiness, conceptualized as an internal personal resource consisting of control, commitment, and challenge. This study examines hardiness and social support relevant to an underserved, minority population. Hardiness and social support were identified and noted in order of frequency according to participant characteristics of treatment type, gender, and ethnicity. Main themes related to hardiness and social support are highlighted with verbatim quotes providing additional context to the theme presented.
authors.affiliation: UCLA School of Dentistry, Center for Health Sciences, Box 951668, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1668, USA. mgironda@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Melanie W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Gironda
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Der-Martirosian
authors.forename: Mirna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abrego
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leathers
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Atchison
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007572:Jaw Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D015141:Los Angeles; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population