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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Nancy Fahrenwald, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, Assistant Professor, South Dakota State University, Box 2275, Brookings, SD 57007, 605-688-4098, Nancy.Fahrenwald@sdstate.edu, Christine Belitz, BS, SD Lion's Eye Bank, 1321 W. 22nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, Arliss Keckler, SD Lion's Eye Bank, Outreach Coordinator, 1321 W. 22nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, and Manoj Sharma, PhD, Health Promotion & Education, University of Cincinnati & Walden University, Teachers College 526 J, P. O. Box 210002, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0002.

Growing waiting lists for organ transplantation require special attention to populations whose demand for organs is high coupled with a low donation rate. American Indians (AI) experience a high demand for kidney transplantation, primarily due to an epidemic of type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately, consent rates for organ donation are low in this group. Health disparities contribute to a dire need for kidney donation which must be addressed as part of comprehensive diabetes control for American Indian people. The purpose of this descriptive study was to design and evaluate a culturally-tailored intervention to increase intent to serve as an organ donor among rural, reservation-dwelling Lakota and Dakota Sioux tribal members. Using findings from a qualitative study, the intervention was developed based upon the cultural traditions of story-telling and gift giving. Intervention messages and strategies were derived from the Transtheoretical Model and Diffusion of Innovation theory. The evaluation occurred in two stages. In the first stage, cultural health experts and community leaders (n=8) evaluated the intervention brochure and a video using a modification of the National Cancer Institute's Educational Materials Review Form. Items in the expert evaluation met the < 3.0 mean criterion for acceptability (range 1.93–2.89). Revisions were made based on expert comments before stage 2. In the second stage, 15 reservation-dwelling adults (aged 35-80 years) evaluated the revised materials. The 9-item evaluation tool was adapted from a simple tool for community members. In the second stage, the mean total score for the intervention brochure evaluation was 42.1 and for the video, the mean total score was 43.5. Both scores met the a priori criterion to retain as is. Additional revisions were made to the video to improve pronunciation of words in the traditional language. This evaluation indicates that "Wakic' unpi Wiconi" is a promising intervention to increase intent to be an organ donor for reservation dwelling AI and should undergo efficacy testing.

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

• Identify health disparities that contribute to a demand for kidney donation among American Indian (AI) people.
• Understand the theoretical and cultural context of Wacip unpi Wiconi (Sharing the Gift of Life)
  A Public health intervention to increase knowledge and intent to serve as an organ or tissue donor among Reservation Dwelling American Indian people.
  • Describe the process of intervention evaluation by American Indian experts and community members.

  Keywords: Native Americans, Public Health Education

  Presenting author's disclosure statement:

  Any relevant financial relationships? No
  

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  The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA