Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103894

Nikki Caito, MPH, MS, RD¹, Vetta Sanders-Thompson, PhD², Theresa Wiehagen, BA², Christopher Casey, BFA³, Keri Jupka, MPH³, Shanti Parikh, PhD⁴, and Matthew W. Kreuter, PhD, MPH³. (1) Health Communication Research Laboratory, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette, Salus Center Room 424, St. Louis, MO 63104, 314-977-4047, caitonm@slu.edu, (2) Health Communication Research Laboratory, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, 3545 Lafayette Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104, (3) Health Communication Research Laboratory, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104, (4) Anthropology, Washington University, McMillan Hall, St. Louis, MO 63130

Background: It is ideal to consider the culture of the audience when designing health communication materials. To create culturally appropriate materials, most often we review literature, rely on previous experiences and what's popular in the current culture; develop appropriate prototypes; and solicit feedback on prototypes in focus groups. In our study, Comparing Three Approaches to Cultural Appropriateness, we've adapted this passive, evaluative method of formative research to include a more active participation component that engages audience members in a creative capacity to help design colorectal cancer communication materials for our intervention. Methods: For the first 3 of 7 design focus groups, we recruited African American men and women over the age of 40 (N=20) and invited them to design materials they would find interesting enough to pick up and read. We provided the small groups with supplies, such as blank paper, pictures, marker, borders, blocks of text, etc. The groups then presented their materials and discussed why they chose the design elements they did. For groups 4-7 (N=12), we created four of the “appropriate” prototypes for review as well as two prototypes-one for men and one for women-based on the analysis and interpretation of data and materials developed in groups 1-3. Results/Conclusions: Qualitative analyses suggest differences in preferences related to gender (i.e., choices and reasons for color, layout) and education level (i.e., use of graphs), and that we can indeed include new design approaches in health materials that are preferred by our population and that make them more culturally appropriate.

Learning Objectives:

• 1 Recognize the innovative use of focus groups in a research study.
• 2 List design elements the study population preferred.
• 3 Apply techniques and knowledge learned to future communication research studies and programs.

Keywords: African American, Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.