D.B.A.  Baker College (Michigan), 2021.
Specialization:  Business administration

Health care perceptions of African American veterans in the veteran health care system
181 pages. UMI #: 28863976
Citation, Abstract & Full text in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database

Since the United States Armed Forces establishment, the government has sought equitable health care for African American Veterans. Upon exiting the military, Black Veterans use the Veteran Health Care System, TRICARE, or civilian care for their health care needs. It is unknown how prior service African American Veterans perceive coping strategies influencing the quality of pre- and postoperative care using the Veteran Health Care System. The purpose of this study is to explore how Black Veterans perceive the effects of pre- and postoperative care coping strategies on influencing the quality of care received from the Veteran Health Care System. The researcher used the phenomenology research method to document and analyze the perceptions of Black Veterans coping with their treatment. The research design describes the situation and formally examines the relationships between the variables by formulating research questions and preparing the research design. The target population was African Americans previously employed by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the Coast Guard. The sample consists of 15 Black Veterans chosen from the target population who must receive care in the Veteran Health Care System for 12 months or longer. The researcher used purposeful and snowball sampling by contacting friends from the researcher’s social network. The thematic analysis allows the researcher to become familiar with the data, establish initial codes, and identify, review, and define the themes. This study has far-reaching significance for changing the Veteran Health Care System for Black Veterans’ pre- and postoperative care. The results display descriptive statistics by making the data more intelligible, showing high and low scores using a visual matrix. The conclusion describes how the responses from the selected Black Veterans answer the research questions. The results indicated that VA personnel are undisciplined when dealing with African American Veterans’ medical needs and coping strategies. Additional studies need to use a survey in different regions of the VA, interview questions, and include Veterans with vision and hearing disabilities. The researcher recommends that Veterans and nonVeterans conduct additional research and expand the research to include all races of Veterans that served in the military.

• Harold Brakhage, Ph.D., Chair
• John Vinton, Ph.D.
• Susan Cathcart, Ph.D.