A Qualitative Exploration of “Well-Being” among Black Atlanta Residents: Developing and Increasing Access to Community-Based Initiatives Restricted; Files Only
Anumba, Kenechi (Spring 2024)
Published
Abstract
Background: Black Americans have experienced a long-standing history of systemic discrimination and racism which has contributed to various economic and health disparities such as high uninsurance rates, increased risks for chronic conditions and infectious diseases, and an increased mortality risk at all ages due to all causes. Due to limited community-based work within Black communities in the US, well-being is less understood for Black populations, leading to limited evidence-based measurement tools and research initiatives focused on this population. While well-being research continues to grow in the United States, few studies focus on Black Metropolitan communities specifically. In partnership with the Emory University Urban Health Initiative (UHI), we aimed to identify how Black Atlanta residents conceptualize well-being, establish pressing needs and health concerns related to well-being among this population, and generate guidelines or suggestions for future initiatives to address these needs.
Methods: Ten one-on-one semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Metro-Atlanta community members and community shareholders, or individuals who are currently employed at community-based organizations in Atlanta. All participants were recruited via email, phone call, or in person. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted using MAXQDA and Excel software for data management and coding.
Results: Of the ten interviews conducted, five included shareholders and five included community members. Five themes emerged: (1) the core factors of well-being, (2) racial identity and experiences of racism as predictors of well-being for Black Americans, (3) the importance of community and need for increased feelings of unity and social connectedness (4) the need for health equity in Atlanta, and (5) the call for future initiatives to incorporate diverse shareholders and multiple levels of the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM). These findings emphasize the widespread core domains of well-being and identified community needs among Black residents of Atlanta.
Conclusion: Well-being is a multi-faceted concept that has different implications for different communities across the United States. It must first be understood among various communities in order to understand the unique mechanisms that contribute to improved well-being. For the Black community in Atlanta, future and existing initiatives must address the specific needs of this community including health equity, education, and barriers to community resources at the individual, community, and societal levels to effectively improve health and well-being.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: Introduction………………………………………………………………………….1
Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..6
Chapter II: Literature Review………………………………………………..…………………7
Chapter III: Methodology……………………………………………….……………………..17
Chapter IV: Results…………………………………………………………………………….22
The Core Factors of Well-Being………………………...……………………………….23
Racial Identity and Experiences of Racism as Predictors of Well-Being for Black Americans………………………………………………………………………………..28
The Importance of Community and Need for Increased Feelings of Unity and Social Connectedness…………………………………………………………...……………….32
The Need For Health Equity in Atlanta…………………………………...……………..36
The Call for Future Initiatives to Incorporate Diverse Shareholders and Multiple Levels of the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM)……………………………………..……………44
Chapter V: Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations……………………………..52
Needs and Recommendations……………………………………………………………55
Limitations……………………………………………………………………………….65
References………………………………………………………………………….…………….68
Tables and Figures
Table 1…………………………………………………...………………………………23
Table 2……………………………………………………………………..…………….48
Table 3……………………………………………………………….…………………..63
Figure 1…………………………………………………………………….…………….55
Figure 2…………………………………………………………………………………..65
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………….76
Shareholder In-depth Interview Guide……………………………………...……………76
Community Member In-depth Interview Guide…………………………...…………….78
Codebook………………………………………………………………..……………….81
About this Master's Thesis
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