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

Abstract #115378

Charkarra Anderson-Lewis, PhD, MPH, CHES, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5122, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, 601-266-5861, charkarra.andersonlewis@usm.edu, Levi Ross, PhD, MPH, CHES, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve, 11100 Euclid Ave., WRN 152, Cleveland, OH 44118, Connie L. Kohler, DrPH, Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, RPHB 227, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, and B. Lee Green, PhD, Texas A&M University, Center for the Study of Health Disparities, 112 Harrington Tower, TAMU 4222, College Station, TX 77843.

Limited research has been conducted on sources for cancer information used by African American women. This research adds to the small but growing body of knowledge that attempts to understand various factors related to acquiring cancer information and the information sources used by African American women. There is a growing recognition that the sources used in health communication campaigns may not be appropriate, accessible, or understandable and many times are avoided by some segments of the population, especially African Americans. Since one's evaluations of sources may affect their exposure to the source, it is important to understand reactions to those sources before certain audiences can be reached. To examine sources used by African American women for cancer information and their views about those sources, 8 small focus group sessions were conducted with African American women over 35 years of age (n = 46), residing in both urban and rural counties in Alabama and Mississippi. Community Health Advisors as Research Partners (CHARPs) assisted with focus group recruitment, focus group question development, and data analysis. The CHARPs also served as key informants in their community. Results from the focus group sessions revealed the following six major themes: convenience of information sources, spiritually based/religious sources, lack of confidence in sources, confidence in sources, the use of multiple sources, and actively seeking information. These findings reflect the participants concerns with accuracy, reliability, trustworthiness, understandability, and accessibility of the cancer information in their communities.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to (
• identify cancer information sources used by African American women and how these women view those sources; and (
• apply the knowledge gained to the development of cancer campaigns for similar populations.

Keywords: African American, Cancer Prevention

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.

Recorded presentation