Grown woman: Understanding what influences health behaviors in black female students at a HBCU

Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand what influences health behaviors in Black female students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Participants and Methods: Twenty-five Black female students enrolled at a HBCU in the southern United States participated in five focus groups and one interview. Qualitative analysis was used to analyze data for similar themes and codes. Results: The three areas that appear to influence health behaviors are interpersonal, community, and society. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for HBCUs to develop health programs for Black women on their campus that include elements of interpersonal support. Additionally, HBCUs need to work on how they create an environment that provides their female students with the resources they need to be able to live a healthy life.