Background: Black women are diagnosed, disabled, and die from obesity and associated chronic diseases at higher rates than any other race or sex. Further exploration is warranted on how advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) can improve culturally relevant health education and counseling delivery.

Objective: Explore individualized barriers and the healthcare provider’s roles in providing care affecting obesity prevention among Black women. While simultaneously assessing the effectiveness of educating Black women using the Teach-back method to understand health habits and attitudes.

Method: A mixed-method design was utilized in group sessions and surveys. Participants identifying with obesity and associated diseases were recruited from a predominantly Black church in Atlanta. After completing a demographic survey and pre-Readiness to Change (RCQ) questionnaire, they engaged in weekly, one-hour educational sessions via Zoom addressing the four common barriers identified in the literature. They ended with a 5-10 minute teach-back session. Participants completed a post-RCQ questionnaire after the 4-weeks.

Results: Twenty women completed the intervention. Descriptive statistics and qualitative data from surveys, audio, and emails were used for analysis. Paired sample t-test revealed no statistical significance and showed no correlation between pre and post-test RCQ scores after tailored health education was provided using teach-back. However, correlational analysis between BMI, education, and income level was significant with a p-value of 0.05.

Discussion: Black women depend on healthcare providers for counseling and solutions. Furthermore, they require different approaches in screening, health promotion, and interventions that consistently assess individual risks, tailored education, and the use of Teach-back. Results emphasized that Black women experience rates of obesity differently from other races despite income or education level that was predominantly cited to be secondary to stress. Stress was voiced as a considerable contributor to disordered eating, decreased engagement in physical activity, and lack of motivation.