Young Black Research Articles

Afrocentric Cultural Norms, Mental Health Functioning, and the Perception of Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Black Men.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern that profoundly impacts the lives of women globally. While IPV cuts across race, socioeconomic status, age groups, and geography, Black women are disproportionately affected. Prior studies report that Black women predominantly couple with Black men and thus, understanding factors associated with IPV perpetration among Black men is essential. Subsequently, the present study explored an important gap in the literature, exploring how collectivism, a core belief ascribed to Afrocentric cultural norms, and factors associated with mental health functioning in emerging adult Black men in the USA is associated with their views of IPV. Data for the study was drawn from a sample of self-identifying Black American males between the ages of 18 and 25 (n=300). Regression analysis demonstrated no significant relationship between age, household income, and education level among participants. Anxiety had a significant relationship with intimate partner beliefs with participants with increased anxiety having more problematic intimate partner beliefs. A model including anxiety, collectivism, and aggressiveness was a significant predictor of problematic intimate partner beliefs. In the final model, collectivism and aggressiveness were statistically significant predictors of perceptions endorsing IPV. Participants who reported higher levels of global aggressive confrontation with others were more likely to endorse IPV. Overall, participants with a sense of value for collectivism over individualism were least likely to endorse IPV. This study provides evidence that cultural norms potentially have a role in Black men's beliefs about IPV. Implications for future research are provided.

"The Fight is Two Times as Hard": A Qualitative Examination of a Violence Syndemic Among Young Black Sexual Minority Men.

Young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are disproportionately impacted by violence, including violence rooted in anti-Black racism, sexual identity bullying, and neighborhood violence rooted in structural racism and inequities. These multiple forms of violence are frequently co-occurring and interactive creating syndemic conditions that can negatively impact HIV care. This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 31 YBMSM, aged 16-30 years, living with HIV in Chicago, IL, to examine how violence has impacted their lives. Using thematic analysis, we identified five themes that reflect how YBMSM experience violence at the intersection of racism, homonegativity, socioeconomic status, and HIV status: (a) the experience of intersectional violence; (b) long histories of violence contributed to hypervigilance, lack of safety, and lack of trust; (c) making meaning of violence and the importance of strength; (d) normalizing violence for survival; and (e) the cyclical nature of violence. Our study highlights how multiple forms of violence can accumulate across an individual's life and contribute to social and contextual situations that further contribute to violence and negatively impact mental health and HIV care.

12. “I felt like I wanted to disclose more and more”: Impact of Disclosure of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity on the Well-being and Sexual Health of Young Black and Latinx Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women in Healthcare Settings

12. “I felt like I wanted to disclose more and more”: Impact of Disclosure of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity on the Well-being and Sexual Health of Young Black and Latinx Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women in Healthcare Settings

Investigating the racial gap in prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen among younger men from 2012 to 2020.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in 2012, which was modified in 2018 into shared decision making for men aged 55-70 years with a life expectancy over 10 years. We studied the trends in PSA screening in younger Black and White men with the implementation of the 2012 and 2018 guidelines. Younger Black and White men (aged 40-54 years) were identified using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database biennially from 2012 to 2020. Our primary outcome was PSA screening within 2 years of the survey. An adjusted logistic regression model with 2-way interaction assessment between race and survey year was used to investigate the temporal trend of PSA screening in younger Black and White men. A total of 142 892 men were included. We saw steadily decreasing odds of PSA screening among both younger Black and White men in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 compared with 2012 (for younger Black men: odds ratio [OR]2014 = 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.62 to 0.96, OR2016 = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.41 to 0.63, OR2018 = 0.33, 95%CI = 0.27 to 0.42, OR2020 = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.18 to 0.32; and for younger White men: OR2014 = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.76 to 0.87, OR2016 = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.61 to 0.71, OR2018 = 0.41, 95%CI = 0.37 to 0.44, OR2020 = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.39). Younger Black men showed a brisker decrease in PSA screening in 2016, 2018, and 2020 compared with younger White men (all P < .05). PSA screening among younger men steadily decreased over the past decade since the 2012 United States Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, demonstrating a narrowing racial gap. How such an observed trend translates to long-term clinical outcomes for younger Black men remains to be seen.

Book review: Terraformed: Young Black Lives in the Inner City

Book review: Terraformed: Young Black Lives in the Inner City

Sexual Networks and STI Infection Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Women in a Southern U.S. City

PurposeThe configuration of one's sexual network has been shown to influence sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition in some populations. Young Black men who have sex with women (MSW) have high rates of STIs, yet little is known about their sexual networks. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of sexual networks and their association with selected STI infections among young Black MSW. MethodsBlack MSW aged 15–26 years who were enrolled in the New Orleans community-based screening program named Check It from March 2018 to March 2020 were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection and asked about the nature of their sexual partnerships. Sexual partnerships with women were defined as dyadic, somewhat dense (either themselves or their partner had multiple partners), and dense (both they and their partner(s) had multiple partners). ResultsMen (n = 1,350) reported 2,291 sex partners. The percentage of men who reported their networks were dyadic, somewhat dense, and dense was 48.7%, 27.7%, and 23.3%, respectively; 11.2% were STI-positive and 39.2% thought their partner(s) had other partners. Compared to men in dyadic relationships, those in somewhat dense network did not have increased risk of STI infection, but those in dense networks were more likely to have an STI (adjusted odds ratio = 2.06, 95% confidence interval [1.35–3.13]). DiscussionYoung Black MSW, who had multiple partners and who thought their partner(s) had other sex partners were at highest risk for STIs. Providers should probe not only about the youth's personal risk but should probe about perceived sexual partners' risk for more targeted counseling/STI testing.

Characterization of the COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Patients With Chronic Diseases in a Large University-based Family Medicine Clinical Practice.

To characterize COVID-19 vaccine uptake in patients with chronic conditions at the large university-based Family Medicine practice serving a population with low COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. A rolling panel of patients attributed to the practice was submitted monthly to the Chesapeake Regional Health Information Exchange (CRISP) to monitor patients' vaccination status. Chronic conditions were identified using the CMS Chronic Disease Warehouse. An outreach strategy deploying Care Managers was developed and implemented. Associations between vaccination status and patients' characteristics were examined using a multivariable Cox's proportional hazard regression modeling. Among 8469 empaneled adult (18+) patients, 6404 (75.6%) received at least 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020 to March 2022. Patients were relatively young (83.4% <65 years old), predominantly female (72.3%), and non-Hispanic Black (83.0%). Among chronic conditions, hypertension had the highest prevalence (35.7%), followed by diabetes (17.0%). Associations between vaccine status and the presence of chronic conditions varied by age and race. Older patients (45+ years old) with diabetes and/or hypertension showed a statistically significant delay in receiving COVID-19 vaccine, while young Black adults (18-44 years old) with diabetes complicated by hypertension were more likely to be vaccinated compared to patients of the same age and race with no chronic conditions (Hazard ratio 1.45; 95% CI 1.19,1.77; P = .0003). The practice-specific COVID-19 vaccine CRISP dashboard helped to identify and address delays in receiving COVID-19 vaccine in the most vulnerable, underserved populations. Reasons for age and race-specific delays in patients with diabetes and hypertension should be explored further.

Exaggerated pressor responses, but unaltered blood flow regulation and functional sympatholysis during lower limb exercise in young, non-Hispanic black males.

Young non-Hispanic black (BL) males have displayed lower blood flow (BF) and vascular conductance (VC), but intact functional sympatholysis, during upper limb exercise when compared to non-Hispanic white (WH) males. This study sought to explore if similar differences were also present in the lower limbs. Thirteen young BL males and thirteen WH males completed one visit comprised of rhythmic lower limb (plantar flexion) exercise as well as upper limb (handgrip) exercise for a limb-specific comparison. Limb BF, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and VC were evaluated at three submaximal workloads (8, 16, and 24kg). To determine potential limb differences in functional sympatholysis, the impact of sympathetic nervous system activation (via cold-pressor test (CPT)) was evaluated at rest and during steady state exercise (30% of maximal voluntary contraction) on a subsequent visit. MAP responses to lower and upper limb exercise were elevated in young BL males (vs WH males), resulting in significantly lower VC responses in the upper limb, but not the lower limb. Further, BL males, when compared to WH males, revealed no differences in functional sympatholysis, evident by similar responses in both the exercising leg and arm VC during CPT. The findings of the current study indicate that although elevated MAP responses were observed during both lower and upper limb exercise in young BL males, vascular conductance was only hindered in the upper limbs. This may potentially highlight enhanced compensatory mechanisms in the lower limb (vs upper limb) to maintain perfusion in young BL males.

Men Don’t Ask for Directions: Gendered Social Capital and the Path to College at an Urban High School

Young Black and Latino men transition from high school to 4-year universities at rates considerably lower than their peers. College-going disparities by gender are partly influenced by young men’s constrained access to social capital in high school. This research explores how gendered inequalities in social capital arise for college-aspiring seniors at an urban high school. The data suggest that young men were more reluctant than their young women to “ask for directions” on their way to college because they were concerned about being perceived as bothersome, and they believed their social disadvantages were insignificant. Young men who were in contexts that allowed them to overcome these challenges successfully collected important college-going social capital. These findings can support researchers and practitioners who seek to expand college access in marginalized communities.

"To take my freedom is to take my breath": Lillian Myricks and Young Black Poets' Poetics of Freedom

In this essay, I explore how young African American poets shaped visions of and possibilities for Black liberation by focusing primarily on the invocation of freedom crafted by one young poet, Lillian Myricks, whose poem "Freedom" was entered in a poetry contest sponsored by poet Gwendolyn Brooks in the early 1960s. Along with discussion of Brooks's advocacy for young poets, I read Myricks's poem alongside a poem by Wanda McGee, also from the early 1960s, in an effort to center the agency and authorship of these young Black poets for their contributions to crafting a poetics of freedom.

Youth Poets in Children's Literature, Media, and Performance

Youth Poets in Children's Literature, Media, and Performance Krystal Howard (bio) Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest inaugural poet in US history, captivated millions during her performance at Joseph R. Biden's presidential inauguration in January of 2021. Her performance serves as a reminder that poetry by young people has the power to transform our national thinking and inspire social change. From award-winning works like Jacqueline Woodson's memoir in verse Brown Girl Dreaming and Elizabeth Acevedo's verse novel The Poet X that depict young poets coming of age and beginning to hone their craft, to the hundreds of young people who participate each year in youth slam poetry, children's literature and culture are filled with youth who choose poetry as their mode of expression. This special issue examines the relationships, both contemporary and historical, between youth and poetry. Exploring poetry written and performed by, for, or about youth, the articles featured in this issue present a wide range of young poets writing about social justice through topics including race, gender, immigration, and sexual assault. Whether discussing the poetics of freedom developed by young Black poets of the 1960s or the limiting nature of the discourse surrounding the DREAM Act as expressed by a young slam poet in 2012, the scholars included here treat the writing and performances of youth poets as valuable and worthwhile contributions deserving of close reading and critical analysis. This issue opens with Rachel Conrad's "'To take my freedom is to take my breath': Lillian Myricks and Young Black Poets' Poetics of Freedom," an examination of archival poetry written by two young Black poets from the early 1960s, Lillian Myricks and Wanda McGee. Works by both of these young poets from the same elementary school classroom were preserved in Gwendolyn Brooks's personal papers, emphasizing her advocacy and admiration for youth poetry. By looking closely at Myrick's "Freedom" and McGee's "We Are Wondering," Conrad contends that young poets writing in the wake of the Civil Rights [End Page 355] movement "demonstrate their capacity and power as creative and historical agents" and proclaim their poetics of freedom. While Conrad explores young poets of the past, Tehmina Pirzada examines the impact of a contemporary young poet in "The Many Malalas: Self-Narrativization and the Construction of Mythology through Poetry." She argues that Malala Yousafzai's auto/biographical poetic performances are central to her activism and encourage "other poets and artists to participate in the narrativization of Malala's story and, in the process, relate her struggle to their personal experiences." Pirzada explores both the way that Malala uses her poetic performances to construct her identity and her use of Pashtun mythology of powerful young women, as well as the way that other poets writing poems for Malala magnify her narrative and emphasize community. Amanda Fields's "The Tucson Youth Poetry Slam: An Analysis of Discourse by and about Youth Performance" continues Pirzada's discussion of poetic performance through her analysis of poetry written by and interviews conducted with young slam poets between 2011 and 2014 about "how the poets perceived the practice and significance of slam at a time of particularly regressive legislation in Arizona." In her interviews with and analysis of poetic performances of young slam participants, poetry is posited as a way to bring about social change, as well as a vehicle for asserting agency. Fields contends that, for these young poets participating in the Tucson Youth Poetry Slam, slam provides a gateway to growth and leadership. The final essay in this special issue, Amber Moore's "'They're all kinda dark …': Speak and Thirteen Reasons Why Fanfiction Poetry as Resistance to Rape Culture," examines poetry through participatory and intertextual fan writing. Moore's article analyzes fanfiction poetry written in response to Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak (1999) and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why (2007) and considers how poetry as a form allows fanfiction poets to process young adult narratives featuring sexual violence. Through her analysis of over forty fanfiction poems, Moore argues that "fanfiction poems demonstrate how largely adolescent authors create space" and demonstrate "meaningful poetic witnessing" as "resistance to rape culture...

Disparities in ESRD and Mortality Among Older and Younger Black and Hispanic Patients in the United States

Disparities in ESRD and Mortality Among Older and Younger Black and Hispanic Patients in the United States

A Dyadic Analysis Exploring the Mediating Role of Relationship Quality on Discrimination and HIV/STI Risk Among Young Black and Latino Expecting Couples.

Encounters with discrimination are a normative experience for many Black and Latino adolescents and young adults (AYAs); these experiences may be even more common for expecting AYAs. While the harmful effects of discriminatory experiences on mental and physical health have been well explored, relatively little is known regarding the impact of discrimination on relationship quality and sexual health-specifically HIV/STI risk.Using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model, we examined both actor and partner effects of discrimination on relationship quality and willingness to be non-monogamous in a sample of 259 pregnant adolescent and young adult couples. There was a significant indirect actor effect, such that one's own discrimination was associated with a decrease in their own relationship quality which, in turn, was associated with their own greater willingness to be non-monogamous. The partner effect for the association of one's partner's discrimination on one's own relationship quality was not significant. Findings highlight the need for more attention to the implications of discrimination on relational and sexual health.

Anal and Oral Sex Behaviors Among Young Black Men Who Have Vaginal Sex: Evidence of the Need for Extragenital Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

Unprotected oral and anal sex may result in extragenital sexually transmitted infections. The purposes of this study were to describe sexual behaviors, barrier use, and chlamydia/gonorrhea (Ct/GC) positivity among young Black men who have sex with women, and to examine the potential influence of extragenital infections on genital infections. Young Black men who had vaginal sex were screened for Ct/GC in New Orleans, LA, from August 14, 2019, to February 29, 2020. Audio/computer-assisted self-interviews were used to collect data on demographics and sexual behaviors. χ2 /Fisher exact or t test/Wilcoxon rank tests were used to assess differences in behaviors by Ct/GC positivity. Among 373 men studied, 619 female partnerships were reported in the past 2 months. Vaginal sex was reported in all partnerships per study protocol, receiving fellatio in 42.7%, performing cunnilingus in 35.7%, and penile-anal sex in 5.9%. Although 31.4% of the men consistently used condoms for vaginal sex with all partners, consistent barrier use was low during cunnilingus (0.5%) and fellatio (5.1%). Urethral infection rates among all men in the sample were 12.6% for Ct and 1.6% for GC. There was no significant difference in Ct/GC rates between those using and not using condoms consistently during vaginal sex ( P = 0.38). Unprotected oral sex with female partners was common. The high rate of genital infection among men who used condoms consistently for vaginal sex suggests that oral infections could be serving as a reservoir of genital infection. Testing at all sites of exposure for youth who engage in heterosexual sex is merited.

Insider, Outsider, Observer: Reflections of a Young Black Female Trainee on a Psychiatric Placement

This paper explores the experience of a short-term psychiatric placement completed by a first-year Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in training. Thought is given as to how three specific attributes of the trainee: being black, being female, and being a participant observer shaped the author's experience and the lessons learned. The theory of Internal Racism (Davids, 2011) is used to highlight how a racist structure in the mind acted to navigate and resolve anxiety before the placement began and during its course. Fanon's (1952/2008) notion of ‘the Black Problem’ is also used to show how historical colonial patterns of relationship have been internalized into a social unconscious and so shaped the trainee's interactions with all individuals on the ward. Two examples are described to illustrate how exchanges with others can be influenced by race. These include ‘the nod’, a subtle form of recognition used amongst black people and ‘racial codeswitching’, adjusting one's self-presentation with the purpose of assimilation. Further thought is given to the practicalities of therapeutic treatment in contrast to medication.

COVID-19, Retention in HIV Care, and Access to Ancillary Services for Young Black Men Living with HIV in Chicago.

This study conducted 28 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Young Black Men who have Sex with Men in Chicago to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on their HIV care and ancillary service access. The qualitative analysis identified both negative and positive effects. The negative effects included: (l) mixed disruptions in linkage to and receipt of HIV care and ancillary services, and (2) heightened concerns about police and racial tensions in Chicago following the murder of George Floyd, contributing to possible disruption of retention in care. The positive effects included: (1) the ability to reflect and socially connect, contributing to heightened self-care and retention in care, and (2) some improvements in receipt of medical care. These findings suggest that while COVID-19 disruptions in care reduced in-person use of HIV care, the expansion of telemedicine allowed more administrative tasks to be handled online and focused in-person interactions on more substantive interactions.

“They never told us that Black is beautiful”: Fostering Black joy and Pro-Blackness pedagogies in early childhood classrooms

Black Art in various forms has long been used by people in the African Diaspora to promote Black joy and Pro-Blackness yet it is often not included in language and literacy early childhood pedagogies to uplift Black children in North American schools. Likewise, many anti-racist early childhood research studies focus on the challenges faced by Black people with little emphasis on Black joy and Pro-Black narratives and the ways they are central to our psychic preservation and survival in the fight against anti-Black racism (Dunn D and Love B, 2020; Ladson-Billings, 2019b). As a child, Nina Simone’s Young Gifted and Black song lyrics rang true as the source of my Black joy was knowing the brilliance of Black people and being proud of our resistance to anti-Black racism. Growing up in the Jamaican context I heard the reggae version of her song rendered by Reggae artistes Marcia Griffiths and Bob Marley also Pro-Black advocates who contributed to my racial pride. Contemporary Jamaican Reggae artists like Chronixx with his song Black is Beautiful continue to promote these racial affirming messages. In this article, I focus on ways teachers can learn to promote Black Joy and Pro-Blackness in the early years as I introduce the notion of an African Diaspora Racial Literacy pedagogy that celebrates and fosters racial pride using Black music and poetry. By coining African Diaspora Racial Literacy, I refer to an instructional approach that draws from positive affirming racial messages from the African Diaspora to promote Black joy and racial pride, raise children’s critical consciousness, and prepare children to be able to take action against anti-Black racism. Through the lenses of Pro-Black Jamaican Intellectual Thought, critical race, Black Feminist, and decolonizing perspectives, I explore Jamaican Black Art literacies (e.g. song and poetry) and provide recommendations for teachers of children of African descent that center Black joy and Pro-Blackness as resistance to anti-Black racism in early childhood pedagogy and practice.

LOWER LIP MELANOACANTHOMA MICROSCOPICALLY PRESENTING PLASMA CELL CHEILITIS–LIKE FEATURES

Oral melanoacanthoma is an uncommon benign pigmented lesion, microscopically presenting hyperplasia of spinous keratinocytes and dendritic melanocytes. Its pathogenesis remains uncertain, although the clinical behavior suggests a reactive origin. Oral melanoacanthoma affects mainly young adults and Blacks, with a strong female predilection. The most common oral sites are the buccal mucosa, lip, palate, and gingiva. Plasma cell cheilitis (PCC) is an inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that affects the lips. The clinical presentation of PCC is variable, sometimes simulating malignancy, and microscopically characterized by a dense plasma cell infiltrate. Here, we present a 59-year-old Black male patient presenting blackish-colored lesions, associated with a reddish erosive area, on the lower lip, 1.5 years ago. Microscopy revealed melanoacanthoma associated with intense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, such as observed in PCC. If the current case represents a microscopic spectrum of melanoacanthoma or simultaneous presence of melanoacanthoma and PCC remains open to debate, however, we favor the former.

An mHealth Intervention to Improve Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Knowledge Among Young Black Women in Family Planning Clinics: Development and Usability Study.

BackgroundYoung Black women between the ages of 18 and 24 years are disproportionately impacted by HIV, yet they have a low self-perception of HIV risk and limited exposure to prevention strategies. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a safe and effective biomedical HIV prevention strategy for those at risk for HIV infection, but uptake has been slow among cisgender women. Family planning clinics are a primary source of health care access for young women, providing an ideal opportunity to integrate PrEP information and care into existing clinic practices.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to use a multistage, community-engaged process to develop a mobile health app and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the app.MethodsUsing user-centered design, the In the Loop app was developed in collaboration with a community advisory board of young Black women. This study employed a multistage design, which included community-engaged app development, user testing, and evaluation of the app’s feasibility and acceptability. A pre- and postdesign was used to assess the impact of the app on PrEP knowledge immediately after app use. Descriptive statistics (eg, mean, SD, and percentage values) were used to describe the sample, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test was used to detect changes in PrEP knowledge before and immediately after using the app.ResultsA total of 50 sexually active, young Black women, aged 18-24 (mean 21, SD 1.9) years, were enrolled in this study. Analysis comparing scores before and immediately after use of the app revealed a significant increase in PrEP content knowledge scores on a 7-item true or false scale (z=–6.04, P<.001). Overall, participants considered the In the Loop app feasible and acceptable to use while waiting for a family planning visit. The majority of participants (n=46, 92%) agreed that they would recommend In the Loop to friends to learn more about PrEP. Participants rated the overall quality of the app 4.3 on a 1-5 scale (1=very poor and 5=very good). Of 50 participants, 40 (80%) agreed that the app was easy to use, and 48 (96%) agreed that they found the information in the app easy to understand. Finally, 40 (80%) agreed that they had enjoyed using the app while waiting for their family planning visit.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that young Black women waiting for family planning visits found the In the Loop app to be feasible and acceptable. This study demonstrates the value of engaging young Black women in the app design process. As family planning clinics are a primary source of health care access for young women, they provide an ideal setting to integrate PrEP information and care into existing clinic practices. Next steps in the development of the In the Loop app include implementing user-suggested improvements and conducting efficacy testing in a randomized controlled trial to determine the app’s impact on PrEP uptake.

We See the Stars: Young Black Girls’ Creative Imaginings of Intersectional STEM Futures through Art

Inspired by Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman astronaut, this essay employs an intersectional framework to illuminate how young Black girls, eight to ten years old, created visual artwork that foregrounded their embodied STEM knowledge, creativity, values, and innovation. For these girls, visual art served as sites of refusal where they rejected white male-centric visions of STEM and (re)claimed their rightful science and math futures through the knowledge, confidence, and passion within their BlackGirl bodies. Implications for improving STEM education for and nurturing the intersectional STEM aspirations and futures of young Black girls are discussed.