Our Executive Director, JéWana Grier-McEachin(ABIPA) is a fellow alumna of one of Robert Woods Johnson Foundation’s Leadership Programs. This opportunities elevated ABIPA’s ability to make an impact on health equity issues through research locally and regionally.
Interdisciplinary Research Leaders
The Interdisciplinary Research Leaders (IRL) program supports and expands action-oriented and community-engaged research to create healthier communities. Its goal is to produce diverse interdisciplinary leaders who conduct and apply high-quality, community-engaged, action-oriented, equity-focused, health research in order to drive improvements in the health of communities and help advance a Culture of Health.
Perceptions of Racism and Health among African Americans in Rural Western North Carolina
TEAM MEMBERS
Ameena Batada, MPH, DrPH
Jill Fromewick, SM, ScD
JéWana Grier-McEachin, BA
Cohort: 2018-2021
Theme Area: Addressing Social and Economic Determinants to Prevent Chronic Conditions and to Promote Health, Wellbeing and Equity in Rural America
RESEARCH PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Institutional, cultural, and internalized racism are determinants of African American health in the U.S. Another determinant, social support, may influence the relationship between perceived discrimination and the stress response, and between perceived discrimination and healthy behaviors. In the team’s work to reduce health disparities, primarily in churches and housing communities in Western North Carolina, they increasingly recognize the value of engaging in conversations with program participants about racism and its effects on health. The proposed research project will explore rural African Americans’ perceptions of racism and health, investigate the association between racism and health outcomes, and identify the potential influence of rural African American churches on the relationship between racism and health. As increasing social isolation makes it difficult for many Americans to mitigate health risks, identifying ways to promote social support may reduce health disparities. Findings will be utilized by social service providers, health care providers, and institutional and governmental decision-makers in rural jurisdictions to develop and implement policies to address the impact of racism on health.
