Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
“THE MESSAGE ISN’T ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS”: A STUDY ON DEVELOPING CULTURALLY- AND LINGUISTICALLY-APPROPRIATE CANCER EDUCATION TO AMISH AND MENNONITE COMMUNITIES IN RURAL OHIO.
Session Abstract or Summary
Home to the world’s largest Amish settlement,Ohioalso houses dozens of Amish and Mennonite communities found most often in the rural and Appalachian sections of the state where access to cancer education is severely limited by transportation, translation and technology. Previous research studies conducted by the community-led Project Hoffnung (Hope) team have centered on developing effective breast cancer education interventions aimed at reducing barriers and increasing compliance to recommended breast cancer screening guidelines. The purpose of this current study was to conduct focus groups after each education program to understand how key messages were perceived by the community.
From April 2011-Febraury 2012, 463 women received a 20-minute breast cancer education program by three trained community educators mostly at pre-arranged women’s health screening events and at small group in-home meetings. A total of 147 focus groups were conducted at 22 separate events throughout this time period. Questions centered on asking a series of breast cancer facts and recording what those facts meant in terms of literacy, numeracy and cultural issues.
A preliminary analysis of the focus group data revealed that key breast cancer messages were not effectively communicated in the education intervention. For example, out of the 147 sessions, 114 sessions (78%) included contradicting responses when asked about the risk of getting breast cancer in a lifetime. Answers were often selected based on what the participant wished instead of actual facts, e.g. “[The risk] sounds better low”. Results have provided best practices to developing effective programs in rural underserved communities.
Presentation #1 Title
“THE MESSAGE ISN’T ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS”: A STUDY ON DEVELOPING CULTURALLY- AND LINGUISTICALLY-APPROPRIATE CANCER EDUCATION TO AMISH AND MENNONITE COMMUNITIES IN RURAL OHIO.
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Home to the world’s largest Amish settlement,Ohioalso houses dozens of Amish and Mennonite communities found most often in the rural and Appalachian sections of the state where access to cancer education is severely limited by transportation, translation and technology. Previous research studies conducted by the community-led Project Hoffnung (Hope) team have centered on developing effective breast cancer education interventions aimed at reducing barriers and increasing compliance to recommended breast cancer screening guidelines. The purpose of this current study was to conduct focus groups after each education program to understand how key messages were perceived by the community.
From April 2011-Febraury 2012, 463 women received a 20-minute breast cancer education program by three trained community educators mostly at pre-arranged women’s health screening events and at small group in-home meetings. A total of 147 focus groups were conducted at 22 separate events throughout this time period. Questions centered on asking a series of breast cancer facts and recording what those facts meant in terms of literacy, numeracy and cultural issues.
A preliminary analysis of the focus group data revealed that key breast cancer messages were not effectively communicated in the education intervention. For example, out of the 147 sessions, 114 sessions (78%) included contradicting responses when asked about the risk of getting breast cancer in a lifetime. Answers were often selected based on what the participant wished instead of actual facts, e.g. “[The risk] sounds better low”. Results have provided best practices to developing effective programs in rural underserved communities.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
As founding director of the nonprofit Center for Appalachia Research in Cancer Education (CARE), Dr. Melissa Thomas has served as Principal Investigator on a number of research studies aimed at reducing the burden of cancer through culturally-competent health education programs. Melissa also serves as Director of the Office of Health Equity and Sponsored Programs at the OhioHealth Research & Innovation Institute in Columbus, Ohio. As a first-generation college student, Melissa has dedicated her life to empowering communities in memory of her grandmother, Mazie Thomas Reed, who died of cancer due to limited access to education and health care.
“THE MESSAGE ISN’T ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS”: A STUDY ON DEVELOPING CULTURALLY- AND LINGUISTICALLY-APPROPRIATE CANCER EDUCATION TO AMISH AND MENNONITE COMMUNITIES IN RURAL OHIO.
Home to the world’s largest Amish settlement,Ohioalso houses dozens of Amish and Mennonite communities found most often in the rural and Appalachian sections of the state where access to cancer education is severely limited by transportation, translation and technology. Previous research studies conducted by the community-led Project Hoffnung (Hope) team have centered on developing effective breast cancer education interventions aimed at reducing barriers and increasing compliance to recommended breast cancer screening guidelines. The purpose of this current study was to conduct focus groups after each education program to understand how key messages were perceived by the community.
From April 2011-Febraury 2012, 463 women received a 20-minute breast cancer education program by three trained community educators mostly at pre-arranged women’s health screening events and at small group in-home meetings. A total of 147 focus groups were conducted at 22 separate events throughout this time period. Questions centered on asking a series of breast cancer facts and recording what those facts meant in terms of literacy, numeracy and cultural issues.
A preliminary analysis of the focus group data revealed that key breast cancer messages were not effectively communicated in the education intervention. For example, out of the 147 sessions, 114 sessions (78%) included contradicting responses when asked about the risk of getting breast cancer in a lifetime. Answers were often selected based on what the participant wished instead of actual facts, e.g. “[The risk] sounds better low”. Results have provided best practices to developing effective programs in rural underserved communities.
