# Health-seeking Behaviors in Formerly Incarcerated Black Men

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $46,752

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT
Incarceration is a social determinant of health that disproportionately impacts Black men in the United States
(US), contributing to the significant disparate health outcomes experienced by this population. Nearly 40% of
incarcerated men in the US are Black, despite the fact that Black men make up only 13% of the nation’s male
population. Over the life course, Black men are exposed to health harming social and environmental factors,
including physical and emotional trauma, socioeconomic disadvantage, and racial discrimination, which
contribute to the negative health outcomes they experience, including mental health symptoms. These same
social and environmental factors are also associated with an increased likelihood of incarceration, which is an
often-traumatic experience that furthers health harms, disadvantages, and discrimination upon release from
incarceration. The cumulative impact of these circumstances leaves formerly incarcerated Black men
especially at risk for mental health symptoms and diminished health-related quality of life. Although there have
been studies describing contributors to mental health symptoms in formerly incarcerated Black men, there is a
significant gap in current knowledge regarding how these men recognize and address their own health needs.
This mixed method (QUAL + quan) study aims to investigate how incarceration history influences mental
health symptom severity, health-related quality of life, health-seeking behaviors, and engagement in health
care. This will be accomplished by (1) examining participants’ experiences with mental health symptoms to
identify salient contextual factors that impact mental health, health-related quality of life, and health-seeking
behaviors (2) examining experiences and perceptions of health-seeking for mental health symptoms post-
incarceration to illuminate how participants address their mental health needs within the social-structural
context of incarceration history and (3) describing how incarceration history shapes pathways to engagement
in mental health care. Understanding health-seeking behaviors and pathways to engagement in mental health
care among formerly incarcerated Black men is an essential step in the development of targeted interventions
that promote health-seeking behaviors and minimize barriers to care. The aims of this study are well aligned
with the National Institute of Nursing Research’s Notice of Special Interest in the priority areas of social
determinants of health, health disparities and health equity. This study is integrated in a fellowship training plan
that will prepare the applicant for an independent research career focused on advancing health equity by
improving the mental health symptoms and health-related quality of life in trauma-exposed and marginalized
populations. Training will primarily take place at the University of Pennsylvania and incorporate didactic and
experiential learning, mentored research, and career develop...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10465586
- **Project number:** 1F31NR020434-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Helena Addison
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $46,752
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10465586

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10465586, Health-seeking Behaviors in Formerly Incarcerated Black Men (1F31NR020434-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10465586. Licensed CC0.

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