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

Abstract #112026

Theresa Ann Wynn, PhD¹, Donald Urban, MD², Michael Harris, MA³, Frank Lawrence, MPH³, Sanford Jeames, MA², and Maria Norena³. (1) UAB School of Medicine -Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 11th Avenue South, Room 118, Birmingham, AL 35205, 205-934-6892, twynn@dopm.uab.edu, (2) Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Faculty Office Tower, 510 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, (3) Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, Rm 516, Birmingham, AL 35205

The overall goal of this 5-year project is to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention designed to increase prostate cancer awareness and promote informed decision-making by partnering with local community men and key leaders. This five phase project aims to: 1- Conduct focus groups with community men in two urban and two rural Alabama counties and key informant interviews with a random sample of urologists; 2- Develop culturally appropriate health messages and materials to promote awareness and informed decision making through various venues (mass transit campaigns, peer educators); 3- identify and train community men to serve as research partners. Results: Six focus groups were conducted and 12 urologists were randomly selected to participate in the study. Based on the feedback from the formative evaluations, a prostate health message was developed and advertised on the radio and local mass transit busses. Fifteen research partners have been trained in Macon County, Alabama and an additional 20 will be trained in Jefferson County. Each research partner will: 1) identify, recruit and consent 20 community men; 2) conduct a baseline prostate cancer assessment; 3) perform mid-month telephone calls to increase awareness and enhance informed decision making skills among men; and 4) conduct a follow-up assessments. Furthermore, research partners will distribute the newly developed materials throughout hospitals and clinics in their county. Results of this project will lay the groundwork for the development and dissemination of comprehensive educational materials and messages that will increase awareness and promote inform decision-making.

Learning Objectives: "At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe the racial and ethnic prostate cancer health disparities that exists in the nation and in the state of Alabama.
• Identify 5 major roles community men can play in educating other men about the importance of prostate cancer awareness and informed decision making.
• Discuss the recruitment and training stratgies employed to identify and train community men as research partners.
• Recognize the impact research partners have made in educating their community about prostate cancer and increasing informed decision making among their peers.

Keywords: Community Health Advisor, Collaboration

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.