This article reviews literature on research issues influencing African American participation as participants in medical, nursing, education, and mental health studies between 1990 and 2007. Identified factors affecting African American participation include the following: distrust owing to historical research abuse and institutional racism, lack of information and understanding of research studies and informed consent, insufficient recruitment efforts by researchers, social stigma, and financial considerations. Recommendations for improving the research process include examining researchers’ motivation and their understanding of African American sociocultural context, implementing culturally sensitive research, employing intervention research, conducting community participatory research, utilizing community-based recruitment strategies, and developing an awareness and sensitivity toward African American diversity.

BackgroundBreast and cervical cancer are the most common cancers affecting women. The symptom distresses experienced by cancer survivors are critical factors influencing their quality of life (QOL). This study investigated the QOL of breast and cervical cancer survivors, their physical, psychological and social conditions.MethodsThe participants were older than 20 years, had been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer for more than 2 years, and had completed their cancer treatment. The survey incorporated the QOL questionnaires developed by the European Organization of Research and Treatment for Cancer and a self-designed questionnaire.ResultsThe mean age at diagnosis was 48.89 ± 8.53 years for the breast cancer survivors and 49.00 ± 10.30 years for the cervical cancer survivors. The corresponding QOL scores were 75.33 ± 20.25 and 75.56 ± 17.93. The factors influencing QOL of breast cancer survivors were household income, number of comorbidities, stage of cancer, type of cancer treatment and duration of illness, whereas the factor related to QOL of cervical cancer survivors was only household income.ConclusionsThe QOL of the two groups was similar. Healthcare providers should demonstrate greater concern toward breast and cervical cancer survivors.

the authors briefly explore literature related to recruiting african american research participants, reflect on their experiences conducting body image research with a sample of african american college women in an earlier study (s. Kashubeck-West et al., 2008), and discuss some methodological and cultural challenges that they encountered during data collection for the study.los autores exploran brevemente la literatura relacionada con el reclutamiento de individuos afroamericanos para participar en estudios de investigación, reflexionan sobre sus experiencias al llevar a cabo estudios sobre imagen corporal con una muestra de mujeres afroamericanas universitarias en un estudio anterior (s. Kashubeck-West et al., 2008) y por último discuten algunos de los desafíos metodológicos y culturales con los que tuvieron que enfrentarse durante la recopilación de datos para el estudio.

Using a sample of 289 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, this study examined the contributions of combat exposure, agency, perceived threat, and guilt to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Regression analyses indicated the four variables (together with demographic variables) accounted for 79% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. Guilt was the most important predictor. In addition, guilt mediated between exposure and PTSD symptoms, perceived threat and PTSD symptoms, and agency and PTSD symptoms. Implications of these findings are discussed.