Identifying Barriers and Facilitators for Stroke Recovery and Prevention Among African American Men.

Strokes disproportionately affect African Americans compared with all other U.S. adults. This study's goal was to identify perceived barriers and facilitating factors for stroke prevention and recovery. In-depth, baseline qualitative interviews of 40 AA men were conducted as part of the initial phase of an ongoing 12-month prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of a stroke risk reduction intervention, TargEted MAnageMent (TEAM). Directed content analysis revealed eight themes from each of the two domains. Dominant barrier themes include (1) seeking the "old normal," (2) contextualizing the stroke experience, and (3) feeling insecure about health equity. Dominant facilitator themes include (1) developing strategies to manage specific conditions, (2) connecting man-to-man, and (3) extending health care "beyond buildings." Personal health goals were sometimes challenging to achieve because the men's experiences were intertwined with larger forces, often at odds with seeking and maintaining good health.