Respect, Protection, Faith, and Love: Major Care Constructs Identified Within the Subculture of Selected Urban African American Adolescent Gang Members

摘要

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to discover universal and diverse care meanings and expressions of the selected urban African American adolescent gang culture within a qualitative paradigm. Design: The study was conducted using ethnonursing research methodology and was guided by Leininger's theory of culture care. Thirteen key participants and 28 general participants were selected from a school setting in a Midwestern city. Data were collected and analyzed over a 12-month period, in which the researcher participated daily in school and extracurricular activities of the gang members. Leininger's Data Analysis Guide included collection of raw data and maintenance of a field journal, coding and examining of the data for behavioral patterns and structural meanings, and finally formulation of major themes. Findings: Culture care constructs that emerged from the major themes were respect, being listened to/accepted, worthiness, concern for others, protection, surveillance, trust, and faith. Conclusions: Nurses may promote health and well-being through collaborative partnerships with gang members and working with other caregivers to encourage more healthy lifestyles. Nurses should assume a leadership role in restructuring health policy that would give equal voice to underprivileged members of American society.