ABSTRACT

Economically disadvantaged communities experience disproportionate health and social challenges relative to more affluent areas. This study describes ways women support and give back to their community in a minority-majority community experiencing social, economic and health challenges. We conducted qualitative interviews with 100 women and human service providers serving women in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan. Using methods aligned with community-based participatory research, a group of community and academic partners analyzed the data. Participants noted several personal characteristics of women they identified as assets including resilience, strength, resourcefulness, creativity, determination, tenacity, wisdom and the ability to nurture others. We think these personal characteristics represent individual assets that help women in Flint survive and build social capital. Women reported developing their social capital through giving, collaborating and sharing their skills with people in their personal networks. Significant personal assets in the form of individual characteristics already exist within Flint. Even in an area characterized as having health and economic challenges, women in this study were able to leverage their personal assets to build social capital and to mobilize resources for their benefit and the benefit of the community.

摘要

与较富裕的地区相比，经济上处于不利地位的社区面临着不成比例的健康和社会挑战。本研究描述了在经历社会、经济和健康挑战的少数族裔多数社区中，女性支持和回馈社区的方式。我们对密歇根州杰纳西县弗林特的 100 名女性和为女性提供服务的人类服务提供者进行了定性访谈。使用与基于社区的参与性研究相一致的方法，一组社区和学术合作伙伴分析了数据。参与者指出了她们认为是资产的女性的几个个人特征，包括韧性、力量、足智多谋、创造力、决心、坚韧、智慧和培养他人的能力。我们认为这些个人特征代表了帮助弗林特女性生存和建立社会资本的个人资产。女性报告说，她们通过给予、合作和与个人网络中的人分享技能来发展她们的社会资本。以个人特征形式存在的重要个人资产已经存在于弗林特内部。即使在一个面临健康和经济挑战的地区，本研究中的女性也能够利用她们的个人资产来建立社会资本并调动资源以造福于她们和社区。以个人特征形式存在的重要个人资产已经存在于弗林特内部。即使在一个面临健康和经济挑战的地区，本研究中的女性也能够利用她们的个人资产来建立社会资本并调动资源以造福于她们和社区。以个人特征形式存在的重要个人资产已经存在于弗林特内部。即使在一个面临健康和经济挑战的地区，本研究中的女性也能够利用她们的个人资产来建立社会资本并调动资源以造福于她们和社区。