Graduation Year
2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Government and International Affairs
Major Professor
Steven Tauber, Ph.D.
Committee Member
John Large, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jana Merrick, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Bernd Reiter, Ph.D.
Keywords
Cultural, Barriers, Treatment
Abstract
The long history of racism has created cultural barriers that prevent some Black Americans from seeking cancer treatment. Fatalism, physician mistrust, low levels of social support and self-efficacy, are the most cited cultural barriers in the literature. Black Americans’ religious beliefs and church involvement have historically helped them in their struggle against racism. A quantitative and a qualitative comparison studies examine the role of Black cancer survivors’ religious beliefs in their fight against cancer. The quantitative comparison study finds no difference in the cultural attitudes between Black and White cancer survivors. However, the qualitative comparison study between the same two racial groups finds Black survivors’ religion reduced their fatalism and increased their levels of physician trust, social support, and self-efficacy. The research concludes that Black Americans’ religion can mitigate cultural barriers that prevent some Black Americans from seeking cancer treatment.
Scholar Commons Citation
Hennawi, Samar, "The Role of Religion in Mitigating Cancer Disparities Among Black Americans" (2016). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/6512
