Perceptions of Chronic Illness Among Older African Americans

Background: Research has documented that African Americans suffer disproportionately from chronic diseases when compared to the general population. Despite having a chronic illness, many older African Americans maintain very positive outlooks about their lives. Objective: The overall purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of illness perception among older African Americans in central Texas. The theoretical framework guiding this research project was the self-regulatory model (SRM) developed by Leventhal. This premise behind this model is that individuals develop cognitive and emotional representations of threats to their health and these representations guide and regulate their individual behaviors. Methods: Two focus groups were conducted using previous participants of a chronic illness self-management program (N=31). The sessions were recorded and converted into transcripts for content analysis. These transcripts were checked for accuracy and to ensure that words were recorded verbatim by the moderator and note-taker. The responses then were grouped into themes. Results: While the respondents were aware they had an illness, they did not have any concerns or emotions related to it. The majority of the respondents in both groups revealed that their faith or spiritual beliefs allow them to cope and manage any adverse emotions associated with having a chronic illness. Many of the respondents also indicated that relied on the support of their families and friends. Conclusion: This information can be used by professionals to understand and assist older African Americans with managing their illnesses.