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In recent years, there have been increasing national calls for patient-centered, culturally sensitive health care (PC-CSHC). The impetus for these calls include (a) the reality that health care providers are increasingly having to provide health care to a more culturally diverse patient population without the necessary training to do so effectively, (b) the growing evidence that culturally insensitive health care is a major contributor to the costly health disparities that plague our nation, and (c) the fact that racial/ ethnic minorities and individuals with low household incomes are more likely than their non-Hispanic white and higher-income counterparts to experience culturally insensitive health care and dissatisfaction with health care-health care experiences that have been linked to poorer health outcomes. This article (a) presents literature on the definition of PC-CSHC and the need for this care, (b) presents research on assessing and promoting this care, and (c) offers research-informed strategies and future directions for customizing and institutionalizing this care.

Black adults in the United States are disproportionately affected by health disparities, such as overweight and obesity. Research suggests that Black adults engage in fewer health-promoting behaviors (e.g., physical activity and healthy eating) than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. These health-promoting behaviors are known protective factors against overweight/obesity and related health concerns. This community-based participatory research study employed a waitlist control design and a university-church partnership approach to test the impact of a church-based health-empowerment program designed to increase health-promoting behaviors (called health-smart behaviors) and improve health indicators (e.g., reduce weight) among overweight/obese Black adult churchgoers. Results indicate that the intervention group (n = 37) experienced a significant increase in levels of healthy eating and physical activity and a significant decrease in weight compared to the waitlist control group (n = 33). Results from this study have implications for the design of church-based, culturally sensitive health promotion interventions to increase health-smart behaviors and ultimately prevent and reduce obesity and related diseases in Black communities.

Introduction Blacks in the USA have a high prevalence of obesity and therefore suffer disproportionately from obesityrelated chronic health conditions. Eating a poor diet is a major contributor to obesity and obesity-related chronic health conditions (e.g., heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes) in Blacks. Having medical concerns has been identified in earlier research to be a motivator to eat a healthy diet among Blacks. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine body mass index (BMI) as a predictor of motivation to eat healthy due to medical concerns and to determine whether this relationship is mediated by reported number of chronic health conditions. Methods A cross-sectional sample of 207 Black adults (45.9 % males; age: M=38, SD=14.12; BMI: M=27.56, SD=6.55) in Bronx, New York, completed questionnaires (i.e., the Motivators of and Barriers to Health-Smart Behaviors Inventory and a Demographic and Health Information Data Questionnaire) at a variety of community-based sites in this city, including hospitals, laundry mats, and street locations. Results A mediation model was tested using Preacher and Hayes' simple mediation macro for SPSS. BMI was not a significant direct predictor of motivation to eat healthy; however, BMI significantly predicted motivation to eat healthy indirectly through reported number of chronic health conditions. Conclusion Interventions developed by health promotion and health disparities researchers to increase motivation to eat healthy should consider increasing awareness/knowledge of health risks associated with obesity and related chronic health conditions and promoting routine health care visits to facilitate early diagnoses of chronic health conditions as integral intervention components.

. To examine the impact of a community-informed and community-based Health-Smart Church (HSC) Program on engagement in health promoting behaviors (healthy eating and physical activity) and health outcomes (body mass index, weight, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure). . A total of 70 overweight/obese Hispanic adults participated in an intervention group (n = 37) or a waitlist control group (n = 33) in 2 Hispanic churches in Bronx, New York.. Post-intervention the intervention group significantly increased in frequency of healthy eating and physical activity compared to the waitlist control group. Although no significant changes in body mass index or systolic blood pressure were found for either group, the intervention group decreased significantly in weight from pre-intervention to post-intervention. . The results of the present study add to the growing body of literature evidencing the successful use of community-engaged and community-based participatory health promotion interventions with racial/ethnic minority populations and highlight important practices and considerations for similar health promotion interventions with these communities.