The concept of empowerment has gained increasing importance in health education theory and health promotion programs. One reason for such attention is a belief that empowerment, both as an outcome and as a process, has the potential to reduce disparities in health status among subgroups of the U.S. population. Through its emphasis on increasing the role of individuals, groups, and communities in the work of social and structural change, empowerment practice and theory can contribute to problem-solving capacity, critical awareness, and control and influence among individuals, organizations, and communities. Despite this increased interest, there is a lack of clarity regarding definitions and measurement of empowerment. In addition, much remains to be learned about the pathways and mechanisms through which empowerment can affect health. This paper will discuss the potential health effects of empowerment, as measured by the Perceived Control Scale. Results will be presented from a community-based survey conducted among 700 African American women living and raising children in an area of concentrated poverty in Detroit, Michigan. A conceptual model of the stress process is used to assess the direct and stress-buffering effects of perceived control and influence at the organizational, neighborhood, and beyond the neighborhood levels on self-reported general health and frequency of depressive symptoms among respondents. Implications for health education interventions, and suggestions for further research on empowerment and health will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to: 1) describe the Perceived Control Scale as a partial measure of empowerment at multiple levels; 2) discuss the physical and mental health effects of perceived control among African American women of different ages, living in an urban area of highly concentrated poverty and racial segregation; 3) articulate the role of empowerment in a conceptual model of the stress process and the implications for health education theory and practice
Keywords: Urban Women's Health Issues, Social Inequalities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.