Healthy living: African-American men's perspectives on the brotherhood and wellness

Background: Relationships among African-American men and their influence on wellness behaviors have been understudied and underutilized in health education/health promotion efforts. This three-fold study sought to 1) understand the nature of the Brotherhood among African-American men 2) its influence on health behaviors and 3) to describe the concept of wellness among the brotherhood of African-American men. The study is unique and necessary given dearth of research that has focused on health promotion and well-being of young African-American males. Method: Qualitative data was collected utilizing grounded theory and ethnographic fieldnote techniques. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with African-American men ages18-35 years old, enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities in southeastern Texas. Categorical themes were identified using a structured team analysis approach. Holistic themes emerged for each major group of behavior categories: Brotherhood, help seeking and experiences with the health system. Results/Outcomes: The study captured the lived wellness experiences of young African-American men and the essence of brotherhood was explained. Rich and meaningful participant responses revealed a) the brotherhood as a trusting cohesive unit and b) the dynamics of a relationship determine help-seeking behavior. Conclusion: These findings advance understanding of the help seeking behaviors of young African-American men and their lived experiences with the health care system as influenced by social supports and social networks