The role of sense of community in improving

the health‐related quality of life among Black

Americans
233707551
Introduction

 African Americans have lower life expectancy and low rate of

physical activity and healthy eating. They experience disparities in
various health outcomes which can result in a lack of sense of
community, (individual's belief that they are part of supportive and
dependable network that is readily available).
 The present study aimed to examine link between sense of
community and health related quality of life in African Americans.
Hypotheses

• Hypothesis #1 Controlling for age, subjective social status, marital status, and
gender, physical HRQoL will significantly predict greater sense of community

• Hypothesis #2 Controlling for age, subjective social status, marital status, and
gender, psychological HRQoL will significantly predict greater sense of
community

• Hypothesis #3 Controlling for age, subjective social status, marital status, and
gender, low engagement in healthy eating will significantly predict greater sense
of community
Methods
• Sample
• 290 participants were recruited through purposive sampling
• 18 and older were included
• Instruments
• Brief Sense of Community Scale
• Health Promoting Life style Profile II
• World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF
• Procedure
• Survey was administered using MTurk (online source for data collection)
• Analysis
• Hierarchical Regression
Results

• Physical health related quality of life was a significant predictor of

sense of community
• Sense of community was significantly predicted by psychological
health related quality of life
• There was no significant relationship between healthy eating and sense
of community
Critical Analysis
• Marginalized group has been chosen which is rarely studied.
• Benefits health interventionists and policy makers who seek to
promote health which can reduce premature mortality among black
Americans
• Focuses on multilevel predictors of health related quality of life
unlike traditional researches where predictors related to individual are
overemphasized.
• Participants were recruited online. Some segment of the target
population might be underrepresented.
Reference

Wippold, G., M., Gracia, K., A., & Frary, S., G. (2022). The role of sense of
community in improving the health‐related quality of life among Black Americans.
Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1). DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22901