title: Influence of culture and discrimination on care-seeking behavior of elderly African Americans: a qualitative study.
abstract: In this study, the influence of culture and discrimination on care-seeking behavior of elderly African Americans was explored. This was a qualitative phenomenological study that involved in-depth interviews with 15 African American men and women aged 60 and older in Alabama. The sample size of 15 was adequate for the phenomenological method of this study. While this was a small exploratory study and was not intended for any generalizations, it did provide a unique opportunity to hear the voices, the concerns, and the stories of elderly African Americans, which have often been overlooked in the literature. The following themes emerged from the analysis of data: (1) perception of health as ability to be active, (2) reluctance toward prescription medicine use, (3) lack of trust in doctors, (4) avoidance of bad news, (5) race of doctors, (6) use of home remedies, and (7) importance of God and spirituality on health, illness, and healing.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA. samartin@bama.ua.edu
authors.forename: Shadi S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trask
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Bryan C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Josh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knapp
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000407:Alabama / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011287:Prejudice; D036301:Qualitative Research; D029181:Spirituality; D035502:Trust