Leadership and Job Readiness: Addressing Social Determinants of Health Among Ruralafrican American Men

There is increased recognition that the inequitable distribution of social determinants acts as a stressor that influences health outcomes. Men on the Move’s Leadership and Job Readiness (LJR) program was developed to improve employment opportunities and build leadership capacity for African American men living in a rural community. Pre-post questionnaires and interviews were conducted with participants to assess the immediate impact of LJR. Paired t-tests indicated that those respondents who were out of work significantly increased certain dimensions of their hope scores. Results also indicated increases in some elements of active coping and decreases in risky behavior. Using a linear regression model, increased hope was found to be a significant predictor of improvements in participants’ coping and behavior scores. Qualitative interviews showed increases in communication, job readiness and coping skills as well as an increased sense of hope and understanding among participants of their role as leaders in their community.