Objective: Diabetes disproportionately affects African Americans, leading to higher morbidity and mortality. This study explores the experiences of African American adults who successfully self-manage their type 2 diabetes (called Peer Ambassadors) and provided phone-based peer support in a 6-month culturally tailored diabetes self-management program for African Americans guided by the information–motivation–behavioral skills model. Design: A group discussion using a semi-structured discussion guide was conducted. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify the facilitators and barriers to completing the role of a Peer Ambassador and to develop strategies for overcoming possible challenges in the future. Setting: Key informant discussions were conducted in a community location to gain insights into Ambassadors’ motivations and challenges in delivering peer support. Participants: Three Peer Ambassadors completed ethics training and peer mentor training and received a phone call guide before providing support to their peers. Results: There were four core themes related to Peer Ambassador experiences: (1) Motivation to be a Peer Ambassador, (2) program elements that supported Peer Ambassador role, (3) key elements of achieving engagement, and (4) challenges related to being a Peer Ambassador. Conclusions: This study showed Peer Ambassadors in a culturally tailored peer supported self-management program found fulfillment in sharing experiences and supporting peers. They highly valued educational group sessions for knowledge updates and sustaining their health-related goals, suggesting the potential benefits of recognizing milestones or providing advanced training for future program sustainability. Findings suggest the importance of recruiting motivated patients and providing effective facilitation for peer support roles, including addressing barriers such as time commitment and lack of socialization opportunities.

The US has an aging population that is under-represented in research. Many older adults face barriers to research participation, such as mobility issues, comorbidities, and declining physical and cognitive health, which make it harder for them to understand study processes and give informed consent. Proxies can be family members, paid or unpaid caregivers, or healthcare providers who provide health information for older adults. Proxy reporting is an important resource in aging research, but it is fraught with several challenges that can impact data accuracy and validity. In this paper, we describe these challenges and possible solutions to enhance proxy reporting and the participation of older adults in aging research.

Background: African Americans with type 2 diabetes experience disparities in their care and diabetes health-related outcomes. Diabetes self-management programs such as Healthy Living with Diabetes (HLWD) are important but do not account for the unique cultural experiences of African Americans. Also, a culturally tailored program focused on addressing sociocultural beliefs and providing race-congruent peer support, Peers LEAD (Peers Supporting Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy, Self-Advocacy, and Adherence) was implemented in two midwestern cities to improve medication adherence but does not include diabetes self-management topics included in HLWD. In an attempt to fill the gaps from both HLWD and Peers LEAD, Peers EXCEL (Peers’ Experience in Communicating and Engaging in Healthy Living) was designed to integrate both programs. Methods: Our study explored the perceptions of African American participants and facilitators of the separate HLWD and Peers LEAD programs, on the proposed new Peers EXCEL program using focus groups and interviews. Findings were analyzed by research assistants trained in qualitative research using deductive and inductive open coding approaches. Results: Participants appreciated the cultural fit of Peers EXCEL for African American communities which is a feature that was lacking in HLWD. They shared the need to include topics such as the relationships between systemic racism and diabetes. Conclusion: Participants’ feedback of Peers EXCEL reveals the importance of including various community members’ perspectives in the design of new diabetes self-management programs tailored for African Americans.

Purpose: This study assessed gender, race, use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), attitudes toward CAM, and disclosure of CAM use to health providers using an online survey of 506 students at a regional public university. Methods: Ordinary least squares regression models were used to examine relationships of interest, including use, attitudes, and disclosure of CAM by self-identified gender and race. Results: The most common therapy reported included vitamins and mineral supplements, and participants of all racial and gender identities expressed generally positive attitudes toward CAM. Women reported using CAM significantly more often than men, and Whites more often than non-Whites. Conclusions: White respondents were more likely to disclose the use of CAM to healthcare providers compared to African American respondents, and women reported disclosure more often than men. A significant interaction between gender and race was noted for attitudes toward CAM for Whites and African Americans, with White women most positive toward CAM.

Aim: University students are a vulnerable population at risk of mental illness. Engineering students represent a sub-population of university students experiencing high academic stress and poor mental health outcomes. Despite the documented impact of academic stress on mental health and learning outcomes globally, engineering students in Nigerian tertiary institutions remain an under-researched group. Little is known about the unique contextual factors that contribute to academic stress and the perceived impact of academic stress on well-being among this group. This cross-sectional survey study examined the prevalence and impact of academic stress on the mental health of engineering students in 12 Nigerian universities, focusing on their unique experiences and the factors that contribute to stress. Five hundred students from Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Mining, Computer, and Agricultural Engineering departments at 12 universities across two geopolitical regions in Nigeria (Southwest and North Central). These students were invited to complete an anonymous survey. The surveys were distributed in person and online. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20, and descriptive statistics and T-tests were performed. Transportation to and from class emerged as a major source of stress, with 85.05% of respondents indicating it as a significant challenge. Over 80% of respondents reported that course-related factors such as struggles to understand lecture materials and lecturers’ teaching styles are stressful. Financial concerns were also prevalent, with over 70% of respondents identifying them as a key stressor. When asked about the overall stress level of their academic program, 44.86% rated it as extremely stressful, 35.51% as moderately stressful, 12.15% as mildly stressful, and 7.48% as not stressful. Furthermore, 26.17% of respondents reported that academic stress had a severe impact on their well-being. The high prevalence of stress underscores the pressing need for targeted interventions that address the root causes of stress in this population. It is crucial for educators, academic administrators, and mental health professionals to recognize the stressors that engineering students in Nigeria face and offer appropriate support. By addressing these issues, school administrators can enhance student well-being and learning outcomes.