Perceived Benefits of Qigong in Low-Income Black Men: Implications for Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment

Black men are disproportionately at risk for a number of chronic health conditions including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and various cancers. Limited access to care, racial discrimination, medical mistrust, and cultural norms discouraging health seeking behaviors have been cited as barriers to developing effective health interventions for Black men. Evidence suggests that use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may help alleviate the chronic disease burden in this population. While a number of studies have reported high CAM use among blacks, few have focused on understanding the perceived benefits of CAM from the perspective of Black men. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine Black men's perceptions of the benefits of using CAM, specifically Qigong. Black men participating in a Qigong class at Project Brotherhood, a culturally-gender specific health program were targeted for this study. Participant observation, administrative document review (e.g. journals), and individual interviews were conducted, input into Atlas.ti (a qualitative data management program) and analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Men cited several benefits associated with Qigong overall and the Project Brotherhood Qigong class specifically including: the opportunity to discuss/reflect on issues impacting Black men, help with emotion regulation, relaxation and coping with racism/stress, and the consistency of eastern philosophy and meditation with black culture. A more in-depth understanding of the perceived benefits of certain CAM therapies in black men will provide insights into why black men are receptive to certain treatment strategies, as well as factors that can help facilitate use of health services in black men.