Teresa Mastin

Placing the Burden on the Individual: Overweight and Obesity in African American and Mainstream Women's Magazines

One third of all U.S. adult women, and more than 75% of African American women, are overweight or obese. This study examined overweight and obesity editorial content (N = 406) in three mainstream and three African American womens magazines between 1984 and 2004. Content analysis was used to determine which strategies were suggested regarding diet, overweight, and obesity, which components of social cognitive theory were offered (behavior, person, or environment), and whether or not there were differences in the genres. The results suggest that although a wide range of strategies were being offered, the vast majority were behavioral changes with an individual solution focus. Although African American and mainstream magazines suggested many of the same strategies, nearly half more frequently appeared in one or the other genre. Mainstream magazines were twice as likely to offer the limiting or eliminating of fast food or junk food, eating more protein, eating lower-fat foods, and eating smaller portions. African American magazines were much more likely to cover fad diets and to suggest readers rely on God or faith in their diet plans. The average number of strategies offered per article was significantly higher in mainstream than in African American magazines.

Black Womanhood: Essence and its Treatment of Stereotypical Images of Black Women

One could assume it is a given that Essencemagazine dispels stereotypical images of Black women and that it works to liberate them from the strictures imposed on them by a world in which they live as an undervalued and marginalized minority. After all, this is the only longstanding women’s magazine that targets Black women and addresses specifically their cultural and emotional needs as African Americans and women. This content analysis examines whether Essenceworks as a liberating feminist text that dispels, as opposed to validates, stereotypical images of Black women. We hypothesize that (a) there will be more evidence to dispel the stereotypes than to perpetuate them and (b) that of the four major African American women stereotypes—mammy, matriarch, sexual siren, and welfare mother or queen—the matriarch and sexual siren stereotypes will be dispelled more frequently. Results support the former hypothesis entirely and the latter hypothesis partially.

Physical Abuse of Older Adults in Nursing Homes: A Random Sample Survey of Adults With an Elderly Family Member in a Nursing Home

Few empirical studies have focused on elder abuse in nursing home settings. The present study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of staff physical abuse among elderly individuals receiving nursing home care in Michigan. A random sample of 452 adults with elderly relatives, older than 65 years, and in nursing home care completed a telephone survey regarding elder abuse and neglect experienced by this elder family member in the care setting. Some 24.3% of respondents reported at least one incident of physical abuse by nursing home staff. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the importance of various risk factors in nursing home abuse. Limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), older adult behavioral difficulties, and previous victimization by nonstaff perpetrators were associated with a greater likelihood of physical abuse. Interventions that address these risk factors may be effective in reducing older adult physical abuse in nursing homes. Attention to the contextual or ecological character of nursing home abuse is essential, particularly in light of the findings of this study.

Tanning, Skin Cancer Risk, and Prevention: A Content Analysis of Eight Popular Magazines That Target Female Readers, 1997–2006

The majority of tanning bed users in the U.S. are women. Previous health communication research frequently focused on the risk of skin cancer, but few studies assessed the mediated communication environment that may surround womens beliefs and behaviors relevant to tanning. A content analysis of articles in 8 magazines targeting girls, young women, older women, and women who are interested in fitness during the 10-year period of 1997–2006 was conducted. The amount of coverage of tanning bed use consequences was less than 50% of the coverage of tanning benefits. About 40% of the tanning benefits coverage touted looking healthy. The coverage of prevention methods focused on sunscreen use (55%), whereas the more important methods (e.g., protective clothing use) were rarely featured. Longitudinally, the coverage of the risk- and prevention-relevant issues increased between 1997 and 2006. The data indicate that the coverage of tanning benefits also increased during the same period.

Health Disparities and Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising: A Content Analysis of Targeted Magazine Genres, 1992–2002

Health disparities exist in the United States based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status. One way to alleviate some of the disparities regarding certain diseases or conditions is to increase awareness among populations most affected. Physicians have suggested that direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs could play a role in awareness. Social identity theory suggests that individuals are likely to attend messages if they can identify, often based on race or gender, with people portrayed in the messages. This study analyzed DTCA in 11 years of Black, womens, news, and entertainment magazines to determine whether models in the ads targeted specific populations. Black magazines were more likely to contain ads featuring Black models only than were other genres, which had more DTCA picturing White models only. Health conditions the drugs were intended for varied by genre and over time, with STD drugs appearing primarily in Black magazines, and DTCA for heart disease not published in Black magazines, despite cardiovascular diseases being the No. 1 cause of death for Blacks (and Whites). Womens magazines featured DTCA for a wide variety of drugs, reinforcing their roles as caretakers, with proportionally few ads for womens health. Implications for targeted use of magazine genres as a means of providing health information to specific populations are discussed.

Family members' reports of abuse in Michigan nursing homes

The objective of this article is to describe abuse and neglect of adults age 65 and older in Michigan nursing homes, as reported by members of their families. Using list-assisted random-digit dialing, data on abuse and neglect for a 12-month period were collected from individuals who had a relative age 65 or older in a Michigan nursing home. Of the nursing home residents represented in this analysis, the majority were female, Caucasian, and widowed. Neglect and caretaking mistreatment were the most frequent types of abuse reported. Comparison of these data with data from the National Ombudsman Reporting System suggests that family members constitute a sensitive source of data on abuse in nursing homes.

African American Women and Weight Loss Disregarding Environmental Challenges

In the United States, almost 80% of African American women are either overweight or obese. In this study, 46 low-income African American women struggling with weight issues participated in structured interviews using a social cognitive theory framework. Participants shared their social cognitive theory related weight loss thoughts and their perceived weight loss obstacles. Results suggest that although participants’ primary weight-related obstacles were environment-based, for example, unsafe environments in which to engage in regular exercise, they more often offered individual-based solutions. The study concludes with a discussion of media advocacy as a tool that can be used to promote environmental solutions.

In Black and White: Coverage of U.S. Slave Reparations by the Mainstream and Black Press

ABSTRACT The issue of reparations being awarded to descendants of U.S. slaves has appeared on both the media and policy agendas; this study examines differences in how four mainstream and four Black newspapers covered this issue. A content analysis revealed that the majority of the slavery reparations articles were printed in the Black press, and a larger percentage of Black press articles were pro-slavery reparations. Both mainstream and Black newspapers most often covered the issue in a legislative context rather than moral or legal one, and both rarely addressed slavery reparations in the context of its potential positive or negative effect on relations between U.S. Blacks and Whites. A larger percentage of mainstream press articles compared slavery reparations with other reparations such as those paid to Japanese internment survivors, Holocaust survivors, and American Indians than did the Black press. In short, the results of this study indicate that Black press coverage of slavery reparations differed from that of the mainstream press during the 20-year period examined.

Predicting and Explaining Public Opinion Regarding U.S. Slavery Reparations

Slavery reparations have long been a discussion topic within the African American community and press. The issue has begun to appear in mainstream press and was a topic at a Fall 2001 United Nation summit on race. Little is known about how Americans feel about slavery reparations, proposed forms of compensation, and how opinions compare to reparations already awarded to others such as Japanese Americans interned during World War II. The data for this study were obtained from a Fall 2001 poll conducted by a mid-sized southern university of state residents (N = 614). Data suggest that attitudes toward slavery reparations and forms of compensation are largely predicted by race and mediated by the belief that race relations will be hurt or hindered by awarding reparations. Attitudes were quite varied and are not as polarized as the press portrays them. Despite the fact that many are opposed to reparations to individuals, further examination reveals that there is support for other forms of compensation such as a slavery museum and community development programs. Although newspaper use failed to predict attitudes toward slavery reparations, television news viewing had significant effects on support for a formal apology, monument, and museum.

Essence: Advertising and editorial content

This article examines the relationship between cigarette advertising and editorial content in Essence magazine, which targets the African American female market. Magazines generate a large percentage of their revenue from advertising. Because many magazines compete for limited advertising dollars, advertisers have the power to exert both explicit and implicit influence on editorial content. Therefore, I hypothesize that (a) Essence magazines level of cigarette advertising is negatively correlated with the amount of coverage of health issues associated with the hazards of tobacco use, and that (b) cigarette‐smoking‐related diseases discussed in Essence will not be linked to tobacco use more often than they will. Content analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Results support both hypotheses. As occurs with mainstream womens magazines, Essence magazines acceptance of cigarette advertising is negatively correlated with publication of information about health hazards associated with tobacco use.