Enhancing Quality of Life in African American Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: An Evidence-Based Intervention.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of achronic kidney disease (CKD) peer coach's educational intervention on the quality of life of African-American individuals with CKD. This study employed an experimental research design to assess a peer coaching educational intervention for African-American individuals with CKD. The theoretical underpinning was grounded in social learning theory, emphasizing observational learning, imitation, and modeling. 165 patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 81) or the control group (n = 84). Pre- and post-intervention analyses showed no significant differences in most health measures between the two groups. However, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in the energy/fatigue subscale, witha16-point difference supporting the intervention group (p = .003). Additionally, the intervention group showed increased scores in the pain subscale (p = .015), while the control group did not. The CKD educational intervention highlighted cultural considerations and provided cost-effective strategies for social workers. It emphasizes the importance of targeted educational interventions and calls for further research and interventions to address the comprehensive needs of CKD patients and improve their quality of life.

African American College Students' Drinking Behaviors and Their Relationship to Self-Efficacy and Positive or Negative Expectancies Regarding Alcohol Consumption.

College students' alcohol consumption remains a significant concern for colleges and universities. However, most research overwhelmingly utilizes White samples from predominantly White universities, limiting knowledge of African American students' drinking behaviors on historically Black campuses. This study examined alcohol usage among African American college students by investigating relationships between alcohol consumption and positive and negative expectancies as well as self-efficacy. A convenience sample of 282 students was used. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) measured alcohol consumption and identified individuals whose consumption created hazardous drinking patterns. Alcohol expectancy was measured by the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire (AEQ), and the Spheres of Control Scale measured self-efficacy. Students in this sample tended to believe that alcohol consumption was linked with more negative than positive alcohol expectancy beliefs. Alcohol expectancies, specifically positive expectancies, appeared to play a significant role in predicting alcohol consumption. There was also a positive relationship between positive expectancies and alcohol consumption. Despite these results, our regression model was only able to account for about 20% of the variance (r2 = 0.187). These findings are important in developing prevention and intervention programs to address the pervasive and critical social ills and reduce alcohol consumption among African American college students.