Keeping pace : understanding youth engagement in rural America through family structure lenses

With rapid shifts in the family economy, various family structures have continually emerged. Understanding the impact these changes have on youth engagement is foundational to developing interventions that will encourage participation in community life. Factors including rural-urban migration, the great recession, lower fertility rates, marrying at older ages and influx of women into professional employment have contributed to the emergence of new and more complex family types such as single parent and blended families. Youth growing up in these evolving settings (changing family structures) are vested with uncommon challenges. With less than 46% of children born into intact families, understanding the impact these challenges have on the ability of youth to stay engaged in family and community life is foundational to the building of appropriate interventions. Poverty, low educational attainment and lack of employment opportunities, increase the likelihood of breakdown and inadvertently disturb the emotional equilibrium of the home environment. These factors increase the likelihood of breakdown within resource-limited rural communities placing them at a disadvantage compared to families resident in urban areas

Community leaders’ perspectives on facilitators and inhibitors of health promotion among the youth in rural South Africa

INTRODUCTION: There are a number of factors that influence health promotion activities among the youth. This study sought to gain a comprehensive understanding of the facilitators and inhibitors of health promotion among the youth from the perspectives of community leaders in a rural setting in South Africa. METHODS: The study adopted an exploratory, descriptive and contextual qualitative approach involving community leaders in rural South Africa. Data saturation occurred after individual interviews with 21 participants. Data analysis employed the principles of content analysis. RESULTS: We found that facilitators of health promotion were access to education on the benefits of health promotion activities, efforts of organizations and community leaders/teachers, access to health care services and engaging in physical activities, and youth motivation and positive role modelling. The themes that described the inhibitors of health promotion were inadequate recreational and health facilities and health personnel, the impact of stringent religious doctrines, unemployment, social vices and poor parenting. CONCLUSION: We concluded that there is the need to implement more engaging activities and opportunities for the youth and parents in rural communities to enhance health promotion

Unpreparedness and uncertainty: a qualitative study of African American experiences during COVID-19 pandemic

During disasters, vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected. COVID-19 disproportionately affected African American (AA) families, increasing their risk for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. The pandemic also exacerbated existing negative milieu such as economic opportunity and access to social and healthcare services. We explored AA families’ experiences of indirect pandemic effects. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth telephone interviews with 11 AA parent/grandparents of school-aged child (5–17 years). Line-by-line coding and thematic analysis were used to analyze and interpret the data. Three emergent themes highlighted the salient indirect effects of COVID-19 pandemic on AA families: (i) access to healthcare, (ii) access to food, and (iii) disaster unpreparedness. Participants expressed frustration with virtual healthcare services and inability to schedule in-person hospital appointments for health conditions unrelated to COVID-19. Lack of food products in stores and limited financial resources due to pandemic-related job layoffs were important food insecurity factors discussed. Unpreparedness on the part of institutions, state, and the nation, created heightened perceptions of vulnerability. Given the social vulnerability spectrum in the U.S., pandemic planning approaches that promote equity are critical if public officials are to develop effective adaptation, mitigation, response, and recovery plans that mobilize and serve diverse populations

The past is so present: Understanding Covid‑19 vaccine hesitancy among African American adults using qualitative data

African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately afected by structural and social determinants of health, resulting in greater risks of exposure to and deaths from COVID-19. Structural and social determinants of health feed vaccine hesitancy and worsen health disparities.The present study aims to explore vaccine attitudes and intentions among program participants, understand the role of an African American faith-based wellness program in COVID-19 awareness and vaccine uptake, and solicit potential solutions for this deep-rooted public health problem

Emerging from the shadows: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors facing community health workers in Western Cape, South Africa

Community health workers (CHWs) have been identified as a key component of the health workforce in South Africa. However, the efficacy of CHW programs continues to be limited by a poor understanding of facilitators and barriers to CHW engagement. This study explores intrinsic and extrinsic factors that CHWs face. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 CHWs in order to understand the challenges they may face as they implement their duties linked to the primary health care strategy in the Western Cape, South Africa

We Want to See Youth That Would Be Better People Than Us": A Case Report on Addressing Adolescent Substance Use in Rural South Africa

Research suggests that substance use, particularly among adolescents may lead to increased illegal activities as well as physical and social health consequences. Around the world, communities, overburdened with adolescent and youth substance use, are finding ways to address this public health threat. Using a case study based on a focus group discussion with nine founding members, this paper reports on the case of Sibanye—a rural community coalition whose mission is to reduce the burden of adolescent substance use on families in rural South Africa. The focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Nvivo 12. This work highlights the power of an engaged collective effort in addressing key community issues, even in rural areas of emerging economies where health and community infrastructure may be limited. The Sibanye coalition taps into its collective wealth of community knowledge to provide social contributions and aesthetics to help adolescents abstain from substance use and sexual risk behaviors. These activities offer adolescents safe places to meet each other, health education, and the ability to structure their free time meaningfully. Engaging community residents, particularly disadvantaged groups, should be central to any local and national strategies for promoting health and well-being

A Self-Management Training Intervention: Perceptions and Practices of Community Health Workers in South Africa

Background. While community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly being used as a strategy for increasing health care access, particularly in rural communities, interventions are needed to improve their skill sets in inspiring health behavior change, both for themselves and among their community clients. Self-management (SM) education interventions have shown to improve health behaviors and wellbeing. Purpose

The graying of rural America: Community engagement and health promotion challenges

Background. Although social participation has been linked to positive physical and mental health outcomes, elderly people in rural areas remain highly disengaged. Also, few studies have examined community residents’ perceptions of the barriers and opportunities for the elderly to participate in community activities. Purpose. This article highlights the perceptions of rural community residents regarding their understanding of the following: (1) community leadership, (2) barriers and opportunities for the elderly to engage in leadership, and (3) potential community-based solutions for promoting more social participation. Method. Individual interviews were conducted with 16 community members. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Researchers immersed and familiarized themselves with the data prior to developing codes. Coding was initially done manually and later using NVivo. Findings. Four major themes emerged: conceptions of community leadership, elderly resource inventory, barriers to elderly engagement, and potential solutions

Covid-19 and higher education: a qualitative study on academic experiences of African international students in the Midwest

COVID-19 pandemic has harshly impacted university students since the outbreak was declared in March 2020. A population impacted the most was international college students due to limited social networks, restrictive employment opportunities, and travel limitations. Despite the increased vulnerability, there has been limited research on the experiences of African-born international students during the pandemic. Using an exploratory qualitative design, this study interviewed 15 African-born international students to understand their experiences during the pandemic. Thematic analysis revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced participants’ academic life directly via an abrupt shift to online learning and indirectly through disruptions in an academic work routine, opportunities for networking, and career advancement, resulting in lower academic performance and productivity. These experiences were worsened by other social and regulatory barriers associated with their non-immigrant status. The study findings suggest an increased need for institutional and community support for international students as vulnerable populations during a crisis to promote sustained academic success

Sink or swim: Virtual life challenges among African American families during COVID-19 lockdown

This study explores African American parents’ experiences with using technology toengage their children in meaningful activities (e.g., e-learning) during COVID-19 and its impact on family health. Eleven African American families were recruited through a local health department program from a rural Midwestern community to participate in semi-structured interviews. The majority of participants reported stresses from feelings of “sink or swim” in a digital world, without supports from schools to effectively provide for their children’s technology needs. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of family-school collaborative engagement and empowerment. Digital technology needs to become part of our school education system so that technology use among African Americans is elevated and families protected against future outbreaks. Further research with a more diverse African American sample is needed