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Development of a community-led cultural sensitivity training

Diane B. Mitschke, MSW, Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Cancer Information Service, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96791, (808) 586-5853, dmitschke@crch.hawaii.edu, Sarah A. Fox, EdD, Center of Community Partnerships for Health Promotion, University of California at Los Angeles, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Ste 2010, Los Angeles, CA 90024, and Sally Carson, Department of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Center for Community Partnerships in Health Promotion, 1100 Glendon Ave, Ste 2010, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service of Hawai‘i, in collaboration with the University of California at Los Angeles, developed a community-led cultural sensitivity training model for use in training telephone survey researchers to conduct telephone interviews with multi-ethnic participants of a research study in Hawai‘i. The NCI-funded Pacific Rim Cancer Screening Awareness through Congregations study is designed to promote increased colorectal cancer screening among older members of religious congregations in Honolulu and Los Angeles. Recognizing the diverse ethnic makeup of Hawai‘i and the important role that culture plays in individual health and wellness, Oahu-based representatives of the study’s Community Advisory Committee recommended training for surveyors who would be interviewing by telephone the ethnically diverse participants in Hawaii. The Cancer Information Service of Hawai‘i partnered with local community leaders and health care providers to design a cultural sensitivity training curriculum that would serve to increase the awareness, knowledge, and skills of surveyors and researchers in California in developing cultural competence in interacting with multi-ethnic audiences in Hawai‘i. The training model is designed to incorporate key features and traditional health beliefs and practices of major minority ethnic groups in Hawai‘i including Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, and Pacific Islanders. In addition, developing an understanding of and an appreciation for local culture, including gaining knowledge of Pidgin, or Hawai‘i Creole English, and developing a familiarity with Hawaiian pronunciation rules and guidelines. The training model will be implemented in Spring 2004 and will be evaluated for both short and long-term effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Culture, Special Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Community Activism and Participatory Approaches Towards Advancing the Health of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA