Historically Black University Research Articles

It’s is Time to Make More Goals So I Can Keep Pushing: Hope, Growth, and Well-Being Among Young Black Women

Well-being is important for everyone. However, some of our assumptions about well-being and personality have not been well-tested among historically excluded groups. Using a mixed-methods design, we considered young Black women’s hope, growth, and well-being. We hypothesized that endorsements of hope and expressions narrated of growth would be positively associated with well-being. We also tested for the presence of lay themes about well-being in life stories. Fifty-nine Black women from a southeastern US, Historically Black college ( M age = 19.25 years, SD = 1.27) reported on dispositional hope, provided three narratives about life challenges, and completed questionnaires regarding psychological well-being. Consistent with expectations, hope and growth were positively associated with multiple domains of well-being. Further, a content analysis supported existing lay themes of well-being among stories with more growth. Women who expressed growth also incorporated themes of emotional intimacy, competence, moral worth, and regard for their physical and mental health.

132 A Qualitative Exploration of Preexposure Prophylaxis Among Black Women Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This proposed qualitative study aims to explore the perspectives about PrEP among heterosexual, cisgender Black women currently enrolled at an HBCU. Specifically, this study will elucidate this populations knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding PrEP uptake and marketing. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Health Belief Model adapted from Chandler, Hull et al. (2020) will be utilized as the conceptual framework to guide this study. Multiple virtual semi structured focus groups will be conducted with individuals at two HBCUs. Study participants (n=20-25) will meet the following inclusion criteria: (a) self-identifies as Black/African American, (b) was assigned female at birth, (c) is enrolled at Morgan State University or Spelman College, (d) is 18 years or older, (e) is sexually active (anal, oral, vaginal, or experimental), (f) is HIV negative, (g) has multiple sexual partners and/or has inconsistent condom usage. A qualitative data analysis will be conducted utilizing MAXQDA software to perform a thematic analysis by creating a codebook and identifying prominent themes related to perceptions and use of PrEP. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The research is on-going pending IRB approval. Data collection will include questions focused on topics surrounding PrEP, barriers/facilitators to participation in a proposed PrEP campaign, and sexual/reproductive health. These findings will characterize the awareness of PrEP among Black HBCU women, identify factors that may facilitate or cause barriers to Black HBCU womens knowledge and uptake of PrEP, and identify best practices for successful marketing strategies for PrEP campaigns targeting uptake among HBCU women DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Findings from this study can help the public health community tailor PrEP campaigns designed for college-age Black women thereby curtailing HIV transmission among this at-risk group.

National League for Nursing/Johnson & Johnson Project: Transitioning Senior Nursing Students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities Into Clinical Practice.

National League for Nursing/Johnson & Johnson Project: Transitioning Senior Nursing Students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities Into Clinical Practice.

The effect of stereotypes on black college test scores at a historically black university

We conducted lab experiments at a historically black university (HBCU), replicating the design and procedure, but not the results, of previous stereotype threat studies. The experimental design has two factors: stereotype salience (priming) and the identity of the experimenter (a less-threatening black woman vs. a more-threatening white man). Unlike previous studies, we found no effect of stereotype threat on student performance. We find little evidence that black students at the HBCU are affected by stereotype threat, regardless of the identity of the experimenter. We found no significant difference in the number of questions answered correctly by subjects in the control and treatment conditions in either the white male or the black female experimenter sessions. Finally, we found little evidence to support our prediction that subjects would respond differently to the identity of the experimenter. Having a black female experimenter, as opposed to a white male experimenter, had no effect on the number of questions answered correctly.

The Role of Mentoring in STEM Faculty Leadership to Broadening Participation in STEM Faculty and Students

Mentoring in faculty development is seen as acatalyst to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) leadership. STEM facultyleaders are organizational influencers with or without formal authority orappointments. Within the fields of STEM,mentoring is often construed as more than senior faculty mentoring junior faculty. Thisstudy explores the perspectives of 13 professors and chairs at HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on faculty mentoring based onsemi-structured interviews conducted by the Center for the Advancement of STEMLeadership (CASL). The main questions addressed in this study are: What, ifany, mentoring styles or strategies do STEM faculty leaders acknowledge andemploy? What specific leadership styles are associated with mentoring in HBCUsfor STEM faculty who acknowledge mentoring as an aspect of their leadership?The findings of this study suggest that STEM faculty leaders who adopttransformational, servant leadership, and intellectual styles find value inmentoring.

Assessment of a Multifaceted Approach, Including Frequent PCR Testing, to Mitigation of COVID-19 Transmission at a Residential Historically Black University

COVID-19 posed an unprecedented threat to residential colleges in the fall of 2020. While there were mathematical models of COVID-19 transmission, there were no established or tested protocols of COVID-19 testing or mitigation for school administrators to follow. To investigate the association of a multifaceted COVID-19 mitigation strategy using social, behavioral, and educational interventions and a program of frequent testing with prevalence of disease spread. This cohort study was conducted as a retrospective review of COVID-19 positivity from August 16, 2020, to April 30, 2021, at Delaware State University, a publicly funded historically Black university. Participants included all students, faculty, and staff members with a campus presence. Positivity rates after use of mitigation strategies and testing on campus were compared with those of the surrounding community. Data were analyzed from July through September 2021. Mitigation strategies included education and outreach about social distancing, masking, and handwashing, and a COVID-19 testing plan consisted of twice-weekly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening using anterior nasal samples (fall and early spring semester) and then saliva-based samples (middle to late spring semester). Cumulative tests, infections, daily quarantine, and isolation residence hall occupancy were measured, and comparisons were made with statewide COVID-19 positivity rates. The campus cohort included 2320 individuals (1575 resident students, 415 nonresident students, and 330 faculty or staff members). There were 1488 (64.1%) women and 832 (35.9%) men; mean (SD) age was 27.5 (12.9) years. During the fall semester, 36 500 COVID-19 PCR tests were performed. Weekly positivity rates ranged from 0 of 372 tests to 16 of 869 tests (1.8%) (mean [SD] positivity rate, 0.5% [0.5%]; 168 positive results and 36 312 negative results). During the same period, statewide positivity ranged from 589 of 25 120 tests (2.3%) to 5405 of 54 596 tests (9.9%) (mean [SD] positivity rate, 4.8% [2.6%]). In the spring semester, 39 045 PCR tests were performed. Weekly positivity rates ranged from 4 of 2028 tests (0.2%) to 36 of 900 tests (4.0%) (mean [SD] positivity rate, 0.8% [0.9%]; 267 positive results and 38 767 negative results). During the same period, statewide positivity ranged from 1336 of 37 254 tests (3.6%) to 3630 of 42 458 tests (8.5%) (mean [SD] positivity rate, 5.1% [1.3%]). Compared with statewide rates, campus positivity rates were mean (SD) 4.4 (2.6) percentage points lower during the fall semester (P < .001) and mean (SD) 5.6 (1.6) percentage points lower during the spring semester (P < .001). Total daily quarantine and isolation residence hall occupancy ranged from 0 to 43 students in the fall and 1 to 47 students during the spring. This study found that the combination of campuswide mitigation policies and twice-weekly COVID-19 PCR screening was associated with a significant decrease in COVID-19 positivity at a residential historically Black university campus compared with the surrounding community. Given the socioeconomic demographics of many students at historically Black colleges and universities, keeping these resident campuses open is critical not only to ensure access to educational resources, but also to provide housing and food security.

Faculty Time Allocation at Historically Black Universities and Its Relationship to Institutional Expectations.

University faculty divide their time into their main academic responsibilities, typically identified as teaching, research, service, and, at institutions with strong ties to their surrounding community, outreach. Most studies of time allocation have focused on faculty at Primarily White Institutions. The present study investigated how faculty at five Historically Black Universities (HBUs) allocate their time to their academic responsibilities. Data were analyzed based on their tenure status, gender, and representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Faculty estimated the percentage of time they currently allocate (current), the time they would ideally allocate (ideal), and the time they estimate their institution expects them to allocate (expected) to each academic responsibility. Across all demographics, there were discrepancies between current and ideal time allocation to research and teaching and, in some demographics, outreach. The greatest discrepancy between current and expected time allocation was observed in time allocated to research, with women and untenured faculty also showing a discrepancy in time allocated to teaching, and underrepresented faculty showing no discrepancies between current and expected time allocation. Women, untenured, and underrepresented faculty reported that their time allocation patterns were guided by external factors rather than personal preferences. The surveyed faculty also stated that the patterns of effort distribution expected to obtain tenure were not necessarily guided by the faculty handbooks at their institution. Although this study is limited by its relatively small sample size, it provides an insight into how faculty at HBUs divide their time and the reasons for them to do so.

Wringing Out the “Whitewash”

In the 21st Century context of violent racial divides, dismantling racism in social work education requires deep trust that social transformation and healing is possible. “Wringing out the whitewash” metaphorically captures the heavy labor of interrupting the rigid Eurocentric epistemological hegemony undergirding the pedagogy, research, and praxis canons of social work. It requires rigorous attempts to unsettle and decenter entrenched white supremacist ideology, assumptions, and values. In this labor, we create space for the multiple identities and worldviews that students and professors occupy to reshape educational encounters. In this paper, we present our critical pedagogical approaches as Black social work educators committed to liberation and healing. We articulate how our positionalities as Black cisgender women at urban universities, one a Northeastern Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and another at a Northeastern public university, facilitate our intentions to honor truth-telling and intergenerational interdependence. We present differences and similarities in how we use assignments to disrupt the institutional reproduction of racism, provide solace for repair and healing, and re-center collective identity as strength. We present transdisciplinary frameworks shaping our pedagogical choices, namely historical trauma and urban womanist social work pedagogy. Implications for the future of social work education will be discussed.

Non-majority student perceptions of diversity and inclusion at a PWI and an HBCU

Purpose Using survey research, the purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of diversity to examine perceptions of diversity and inclusion among majority and non-majority students at a predominately White university (PWI) and a historically Black university (HBCU) observing any patterns of difference between majority and non-majority groups to make inferences regarding students’ sense of belonging, given current national efforts to establish inclusive excellence on university campuses. Design/methodology/approach Results based on Likert-scale responses on a validated questionnaire were analyzed using independent samples t-tests to identify differences for each survey item. Eta squared was used as an effect size measure. The PWI and HBCU were then compared by item analysis. A two-way factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the independent impact of each of the universities (i.e. PWI, HBCU) and the interaction of those two factors in their effect on the dependent variables (i.e. race, gender, sexuality). Findings Results indicated significant differences between the majority and non-majority groups on multiple items within each university site. Further, significant differences were observed between the universities in perceptions and experiences of diversity and inclusion. Originality/value Unique in this study was an examination of perceptions of inclusion at a PWI and an HBCU based not only on non-majority status of race, but also on gender and sexuality with the intention of expanding the research base associated with “sense of belonging” to other groups who have existed as “diverse others” in the context of majority culture dominance.

Awareness and acceptability of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among students at two historically Black universities (HBCU): a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundDespite young African American adults (ages 18–24) being among the highest risk groups for HIV infection, little is known about their awareness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – a once daily pill shown to be > 90% effective in preventing HIV. To explore awareness and acceptability of PrEP among college students in this demographic, we conducted a survey of attendees at two large historically Black universities (HBCU) in North Carolina.MethodsWe administered a 14-item questionnaire to students at two HBCUs in North Carolina between February and April 2018. Questions were formatted in a yes/no or multiple choice format. Questionnaire items specifically addressed PrEP awareness and acceptability. Surveys were administered to students at a campus health fair and while transiting the campus student union via iPad. Response to all questions was optional. We fit a logistic regression model to determine association of key demographic determinants with PrEP acceptability and awareness. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4 (SAS, Cary, NC).ResultsOverall, 210 students participated in the survey, of which 60 completed all survey items as presented. The survey cohort was 75% female, 89% heterosexual and 39% freshmen. The mean age of respondents was 19.8 years (SD: 1.8). Fifty-two percent of survey respondents reported that they were aware of PrEP prior to the time of survey administration. Only 3% of respondents reported that they were on PrEP. The most common sources of information on PrEP were campus health services (24%) and non-social media advertising (15%). Of respondents who were aware of PrEP, 61% reported that they had heard about in the 6 months prior to survey administration, while only 19% say they were aware of it for more than a year. Regarding acceptability of PrEP, 58% of respondents reported that they would take a once a day pill for HIV if they were at risk. Our logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant associations between key demographic factors and PrEP awareness. However, persons who perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV acquisition were more likely to find once daily oral PrEP (relative risk 2.66 (95% CI 1.31–5.42)) as an acceptable prevention strategy than the rest of the survey cohort.ConclusionsAfrican American HBCU students are becoming aware of PrEP, and generally perceive the intervention as acceptable and worth consideration.

Exposure to community violence versus overpolicing and PTSD among African American university students

ABSTRACT Whether being stopped by the police is a stronger predictor of PTSD compared to being victimized by community violence was explored in a sample of 301 African American university students attending a historically Black university (HBCU). During a six-week window, a convenience sample was recruited from the spring semester roster of enrolled students at a southern HBCU for an online, cross-sectional survey. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Scores on Foa and Capaldi’s PTSD Diagnostic Scale for DSM-5 and the item “having been stopped by the police” as well as items measuring community violence “being chased, or seeing someone being chased by an individual or group of people,” from Richters and Saltzman’s Survey of Exposure to Community Violence—Self-Report version, were compared. Over one-third (34.3%) of the sample reported having been chased by individuals or groups of individuals in the community, and most students (70.9%) reported having been stopped by the police at least once. Being stopped by the police five or six times predicted significant PTSD scores and was a stronger predictor of elevated PTSD scores than being chased by individuals in the community (odds ratio = 4.602, p =.029 versus odds ratio = 1.173, p =.004). These African American students are at risk for overpolicing and experiencing violence in the community. However, being stopped by the police poses a greater risk to the students’ development of PTSD than living in a violent community.

Attitudes and Perceptions of Tobacco-Related Products in College Students.

Despite the highly publicized health consequences, some college students do not perceive tobacco consumption as harmful. Historically-Black College and Universities (HBCUs) have the lowest rates of tobacco-free policies compared to other colleges, universities, and minority-serving institutions, making their students at higher risk for tobacco abuse. A campus Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Committee (ATDP) was formed and led by a pharmacist to develop all tobacco cessation policies at the HBCU. (1) To determine the knowledge and attitudes of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and hookah among college students in a rural area with high tobacco usage; (2) To assess perceptions on the effectiveness of smoking cessation resources on the college campus led by the ATDP committee. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 99 students between 18 - 26 years attending a HBCU in Maryland. The online survey was disseminated to assess student's health behaviors and attitudes towards tobacco products and their successfulness in abstinence using campus resources with the Health Belief Model. Participants had more perceived harms with smoking tobacco (cigarettes and cigars) and smokeless tobacco, and greater perceived benefits with using electronic cigarettes and hookah (P < 0.001). Most students had limited knowledge of the four tobacco categories (5.8 ± 2.6 on a 10-point Likert scale). Self-efficacy to quit was 4.2 ± 1.7 on a 10-point Likert scale despite the current resources at the HBCU. Students had a perceived benefits sequential rank order with hookah, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, followed by smoking tobacco. Campuses should investigate barriers for abstinence, raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco, and create programs that enhance self-efficacy when quitting. This is the first study of its kind that compares all major tobacco products head-to-head in a rural and underrepresented population. Additionally, the development of a campus-wide tobacco policy was novel as it was pharmacist-led. The results show this population has limited knowledge of tobacco products with more perceived benefits among newer nicotine delivery systems. Targeted education and public health programs should be implemented to prevent this susceptible group from initiating and continuing tobacco products.

My Beloved Community

My Beloved Community

Digital technology to address HIV and other sexually transmitted infection disparities: Intentions to disclose online personal health records to sex partners among students at a historically Black college.

Patient portals are creating new opportunities for youth to disclose high-fidelity sexually transmitted infection (STI) laboratory test result histories to sex partners. Among an online survey sample, we describe latent constructs and other variables associated with perceived behavioral intentions to disclose STI test history using patient portals. Participants were co-ed students aged 18 to 25 years (N = 354) attending a southern United States Historically Black College and University in 2015. Three reliable latent constructs were identified by conducting psychometric analyses on 27 survey items. Latent constructs represent, a) STI test disclosure valuation beliefs, b) communication practices, and c) performance expectancy beliefs for disclosing with patient portals. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship of latent constructs to perceived behavioral intentions to disclose STI test history using patient portals. Approximately 14% (48/354) reported patient portal use prior to study and 59% (208/354) endorsed behavioral intentions to use patient portals to disclose STI test history. The latent construct reflecting performance expectancies of patient portals to improve communication and accuracy of disclosed test information was associated with behavioral intentions to disclose STI test histories using patient portals [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.22; p<0.001]. Latent constructs representing communication valuation beliefs and practices were not associated with intentions. Self-reporting prior STI diagnosis was also associated with intentions to disclose using patient portals (AOR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.15 to 6.96; p = 0.02). Point of care messages focused on improvements to validating test results, communication, and empowerment, may be an effective strategy to support the adoption of patient portals for STI prevention among populations of college-aged Black youth.

Student-Athletes at an Historically Black University (HBU): Examining the Relationship Between Student-Engagement on Campus and Career Situation Awareness

Student-Athletes at an Historically Black University (HBU): Examining the Relationship Between Student-Engagement on Campus and Career Situation Awareness

Outpacing Expectations: Battling the Misconceptions of Regional Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities

AbstractOften Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are viewed and discussed through a deficit‐laden lens. In reality, HBCUs—many of which are regional public universities (RPUs)—not only carry a lion's share of the education of Black students but also contribute greatly to the social mobility, economic impact, and increased access to marginalized populations within their respective states. In this chapter, using the foundation of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) “Punching Above Their Weight” report findings, the authors explore four state cases to highlight how HBCU RPUs are overlooked in broader RPU discussions regarding their unique contributions to access and degree attainment. This chapter will review research and popular press on HBCU RPUs to give insight into how they are uniquely contributing to state higher education goals while navigating funding disparities. Moreover, this review—coupled with our insights for research, practice, and funding—will give a broader view of these institutions’ contributions for both students and the regions they serve.

On Shaky Ground: Black Authenticity at Predominantly White Institutions

This study investigates the ways in which social context affects processes of black authenticity, resulting in shaky ground for authentic blackness among black college students at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Because of normalized whiteness, black PWI students are negotiating authentic blackness in social contexts that limit black expression and identity through external pressure from nonblack students, in addition to experiencing intraracial pressures from black peers. These students must walk a thin line: they have to avoid being labeled as either “too black” or “inauthentically” black by nonblack students while simultaneously working to be seen as “black enough” by black peers, which highlights the precarity of black authenticity at PWIs. I use interviews and qualitative surveys of 44 black students at two PWIs and one historically black university (HBCU); the data from the HBCU are used to highlight contrasts between two school types. Results indicate that, as a result of tighter boundaries around blackness drawn by both black and nonblack peers, black PWI students experience behavioral constraints, limited options for ethnic identification, and believe that HBCU students see them as less authentically black. Conversely, HBCU students did not describe similar behavioral constraints or ethnic exclusion, and made no claims of inauthentic blackness for black PWI students. Overall, results suggest that the social contexts of PWIs significantly affect black students’ experiences with black authenticity.

Fostering effective mentorship in psychiatry residency training: Lessons learned from historical black college and university (HBCU)

Introduction: Despite the tremendous benefit of mentorship there is a paucity of formal structured mentoring programs that can be beneficial to the academic environment and for the successful career development among psychiatry residents, particularly for minority physicians. Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe residents experience with mentorship in a large HBCU psychiatry residency program. Methods: We reviewed the records of exit interviews for all residents for Howard University psychiatry residency program for a 10-year period between 2008 and 2018. Results: A total of 55 residents participated in the exit interview. Residents expressed similar opinions about the role of mentorship during the residency training. Although, they described a wide range of experience with mentorship, there was consensus about the important qualities of a mentoring relationship. Conclusions: Mentoring is believed to be a vital component of a successful residency experience. Residents identified interpersonal relationship and skill building as the most important qualities of a mentor.

Mobile Health and Telemedicine

In 2016, the U.S. Government health expenditures reached $3.35 trillion and the cost per person stood at $10,345. Health is seen as impacting both one's quality of life and finances. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) (2008 - 2016) brought the issue of cost to the forefront for all people especially those in the health disparate communities. Advances in health informatics coupled with new approaches to healthcare delivery may hold promise for this large industry in the USA that critically needs to be cost effective in order to sustain itself. This paper reports a study that investigated importance of health, mobile health (m-Health) and telemedicine awareness along with its adoption in a health disparate community that has one of the Historical Black Colleges &amp; Universities (HBCUs) in the country. The findings were that, all participants owned a mobile (cell) phone with smart features. Although a large number them indicated that their health was very important to them, there was lack of awareness and adoption of m-Health and telemedicine.

Understanding Student Persistence in Commuter Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Understanding Student Persistence in Commuter Historically Black Colleges and Universities