Understanding Quality of Life in African Americans with Lupus (UQAN) in South Carolina

Objective: The reported qualitative study was designed to assess the reach of evidence based prevention programs (EBPP’s) in African Americans with lupus in South Carolina. While these programs can provide significant benefit to patients in the form of education and improved self-efficacy, they may be underutilized. Methods: Interviews were used to elicit information about the most important individual, interpersonal, and community level factors that determine acceptability and utilization of health promoting programs among African Americans with lupus in South Carolina, and responses were analyzed for themes. Transcripts from interviews were transcribed and analyzed using manual coding in the QSR NVivo 10 software program. Results: Study findings reflect factors that influence the decisions of an African American woman with lupus in South Carolina to participate in EBPP’s or not, under three general themes: 1) Perceptions of stress; 2) Activities to reduce stress; and 3) Cost as a barrier. Conclusion: Participants’ experiences of pain may play a larger role in patient decisions to engage in EBPP’s or not, than other characteristics of the target population, and may need to be a major component of outreach messages. These strategies can be employed to increase African American women’s participation in these programs in order to help them achieve desired health outcomes.