Cultural characteristics of African Americans: implications for the design of trials that target behavior and health promotion programs.
OBJECTIVE
To identify African American cultural characteristics that may be used to modify clinical trial designs and behavioral programs aimed at losing weight and maintaining weight loss.


METHODS
Focus group discussions.


METHODS
University-affiliated biomedical research center.


METHODS
Thirty-one African American men and women who completed the screening process, but were ineligible for the Weight Loss Maintenance (WLM) trial, participated in one of five focus group sessions. WLM is a randomized controlled trial that compares two lifestyle interventions for preventing weight regain in individuals who have successfully lost weight in a group-based behavioral weight loss program.


RESULTS
Nine themes emerged as cultural characteristics specific to African Americans seeking participation in a lifestyle change program: (1) religion is a powerful force; (2) family structure; (3) integration dismantled the African American family; (4) general mistrust of Caucasians; (5) African Americans are undervalued and not respected as a people; (6) limited resources equal limited ability to make lifestyle changes; (7) preservation of an explicit ethnic identity; (8) education is the key to success as an African American; and (9) communication skills are vital.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying cultural characteristics specific to African Americans may help investigators design clinical trials that will enhance outcomes and improve the generalizability of results in ethnic minority populations.
Kennedy
Betty M
BM
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. kennedbm@pbrc.edu
Ard
Jamy D
JD
Harrison
Louis
L
Conish
Beverly K
BK
Kennedy
Eugene
E
Levy
Erma J
EJ
Brantley
Phillip J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012107:Research Design; D015431:Weight Loss