Showing papers in "Health Promotion Practice in 2004"
TL;DR: A youth photovoice project was implemented in an after-school program that attempted to adapt the photvoice method to youth participants, test the effectiveness of the method with youth, and develop and refine a curriculum for replication.
Abstract: The photovoice process aims to use photographic images taken by persons with little money, power, or status to enhance community needs assessments, empower participants, and induce change by informing policy makers of community assets and deficits. This article describes a youth photovoice project implemented in an after-school program that attempted to adapt the photovoice method to youth participants, test the effectiveness of the method with youth, and develop and refine a curriculum for replication. A process such as photovoice provides youth the opportunity to develop their personal and social identities and can be instrumental in building social competency. Youth should and need to be given the opportunity to build and confirm their abilities, to comment on their experiences and insights, and to develop a social morality for becoming a positive agent within their communities and society. For more examples of photos taken by the youth during this project, visit http://www.jhsph.edu/youthphotovoice.
550 citations
TL;DR: Reducing LGBT smoking rates is a public health challenge that will require exceeding the sense of validation tobacco advertising has created in LGBT communities, and counterstrategies are critical.
Abstract: Research on adult tobacco use consistently shows a higher prevalence among lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) populations than among the general population-reasons why are largely unknown, and counterstrategies are critical. Tobacco industry marketing, uncovered when the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) forced companies to share its internal documents, provided insight. The American Legacy Foundation uncovered the industry campaign Project SCUM (Sub-Culture Urban Marketing) aimed at gays and the homeless. The formerly secret documents revealed specific marketing toward LGBT, whose rates increased when the MSA banned youth (but not other population) advertising. The industry reaches out to LGBT persons through direct and indirect advertising, community outreach, and sponsorships. Messages to LGBT have been relatively absent from advertising until recently, creating receptivity to such overtures. Reducing LGBT smoking rates is a public health challenge that will require exceeding the sense of validation tobacco advertising has created in LGBT communities.
173 citations
TL;DR: The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) used concept mapping techniques to engage local stakeholders and national subject area experts in defining the community and system factors that affect individuals' behaviors related to tobacco, nutrition, and physical activity as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) used concept mapping techniques to engage local stakeholders and national subject area experts in defining the community and system factors that affect individuals’ behaviors related to tobacco, nutrition, and physical activity. Over eight working days, project participants brainstormed 496 statements (edited to a final set of 90), which were then sorted and rated for their importance and feasibility. A sequence of multivariate statistical analyses, including multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis, generated maps and figures that were then interpreted by project stakeholders. The results were immediately incorporated into an official plan, approved by the governor and state legislature, recommending how Hawaii’s tobacco settlement resources could be used to create sustainable changes in population health. The results also provide empirical support for the premise that both community and systems factors ought to be considered when planning comprehe...
107 citations
TL;DR: Challenges that coalition practitioners and evaluators face are presented and practical resources for evaluation are concluded, which recommend focusing on three levels of coalition evaluation that measure processes that sustain and renew coalition infrastructure and function.
Abstract: Evaluation plays a key role in developing and sustaining community partnerships and coalitions. We recommend focusing on three levels of coalition evaluation that measure (a) processes that sustain and renew coalition infrastructure and function; (b) programs intended to meet target activities, or those that work directly toward the partnership's goals; and (c) changes in health status or the community. A tendency to focus on quick wins and short-term effects of programs may explain why some coalitions are not able to achieve systems and/or health outcomes change. Although measuring community-level or system changes (e.g., improving environmental quality or changing insurance coverage policies) is much more difficult than evaluating program outcomes, it is essential. This article presents challenges that coalition practitioners and evaluators face and concludes with practical resources for evaluation.
104 citations
TL;DR: A tiered approach is used in relation to the advocacy strategies of voting behavior, electioneering, direct lobbying, grassroots lobbying, Internet use, and media advocacy to help individuals in their quest to begin or enhance their engagement in advocacy.
Abstract: Advocacy for the public’s health and for the profession are widely recognized as responsibilities of health educators. Increasing emphasis on advocacy by professional organizations has peaked the interest of health educators, yet knowing where to begin as an advocate is, to many, a mystifying process. This article provides basic advocacy terminology, dispels concerns about participating in advocacy activities, and provides a practical and stepped approach to becoming an effective advocate. A tiered approach is used in relation to the advocacy strategies of voting behavior, electioneering, direct lobbying, grassroots lobbying, Internet use, and media advocacy to help individuals in their quest to begin or enhance their engagement in advocacy. A compendium of highly accessible resources is also provided. Finally, this article provides motivation for the beginning advocate.
82 citations
TL;DR: Public parks and recreation centers are understudied settings with the potential for substantial involvement in efforts to promote youth physical activity and girls and low-income youth were identified as the most difficult populations to reach.
Abstract: This descriptive study explored the potential for public parks and recreation centers as intervention sites for promoting physical activity among youth. Directors (55% women) of 44 recreation centers in San Diego County completed a survey of their centers' physical activity programming for youths ages 3 to 17 years (response rate = 60%). On an average weekday, 373 (SD = 782) youths participated in physical activity at a center. More boys attended than girls (p <.05). Some centers sponsored after-school programs at elementary (41%) and middle (11%) schools but not at high schools (0%). Primary barriers to providing physical activity programs were inadequate staffing (54%), funding (39%), and facilities (32%). Girls and low-income youth were identified as the most difficult populations to reach. Directors reported considerable interest in collaborating on interventions to improve youth activity programs. Public parks and recreation centers are understudied settings with the potential for substantial involvement in efforts to promote youth physical activity.
77 citations
TL;DR: The article presents the findings of the network analysis, focusing on its usefulness as a tool for evaluating efforts at building community capacity through enhanced interagency collaboration.
Abstract: A network analysis was conducted in spring 2000 by the Southwest Center for Health Promotion in the U.S. Mexico border community of Douglas, Arizona. The purpose of the analysis was to assess the level of collaboration among the 23 public and not-for-profit agencies that provided health and human services for a broad range of chronic disease prevention, screening, and treatment services. Data were also collected on levels of trust and anticipated outcomes (benefits and draw-backs) of collaboration. The article presents the findings of the network analysis, focusing on its usefulness as a tool for evaluating efforts at building community capacity through enhanced interagency collaboration.
76 citations
TL;DR: This article examines the degree of stakeholder participation in health and social partnership schemes in relation to their perceptions of benefits, costs, satisfaction, commitment, and ownership to explore the involvement “cut-off” point at which the costs might change direction.
Abstract: This article examines the degree of stakeholder participation in health and social partnership schemes in relation to their perceptions of benefits, costs, satisfaction, commitment, and ownership. The findings suggest that (a) involvement, commitment, and sense of ownership were invariably associated with high benefits and mostly with low costs; (b) benefits, commitment, and ownership might be more sensitive monitors of involvement than costs and satisfaction; (c) an increase in involvement was initially associated with decreased costs and increased satisfaction up to a point beyond which costs increased and satisfaction decreased despite increasing benefits; and (d) favorable cost-benefit ratios were perceived when the benefits were at least 1.6 times the costs. Partnership initiatives need to explore the involvement "cut-off" point at which the costs (and satisfaction) might change direction. For favorable cost-benefit ratios, benefits need to be at least 60% more than costs (Ansari's paradox).
70 citations
TL;DR: Six steps on how to make a video using principles of CBPR are outlined, including engaging stakeholders, soliciting funding and informed consent, and pulling it all together: editing and music selection.
Abstract: Health educators can play a critical role in bringing together the partners and resources to successfully make videos using principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). This article...
63 citations
TL;DR: Results indicate that librarians answer more than 10 health-related questions per week, feel moderately comfortable answering these questions, and are very interested in receiving additional training for addressing health related questions.
Abstract: Public libraries are located in all communities, and two thirds of adults visit one each year. Libraries give the public access to computers and the Internet, and librarians offer technical assistance for accessing information. The interests and training needs of public librarians for assisting the public in accessing health information have not been addressed. One public library/librarian in each North Carolina county was randomly selected to complete a written questionnaire to assess health-related information services and librarians' skills for providing these services. 84% of librarians (83/99) completed the questionnaire. Results indicate that librarians answer more than 10 health-related questions per week, feel moderately comfortable answering these questions, and are very interested in receiving additional training for addressing health-related questions. Creating public library/public health partnerships holds much promise for enhancing the ability of community members to access desired health information.
57 citations
TL;DR: A first step in countering tobacco industry direct marketing practices is to increase awareness and understanding of them, followed by development of strategies to address them and to limit or eliminate their use in tobacco marketing.
Abstract: Although Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) provisions have led to significant changes in tobacco marketing, expenditures and emphasis on marketing strategies and populations not bound by the MSA have increased significantly. This article discusses tobacco industry direct marketing practices, including direct mail, coupons, sweepstakes, brand loyalty programs, event sponsorship, and tobacco industry magazines, and the implications of such strategies. An analysis of a survey of New Jersey adult smokers provides context and documents notable rates of participation. In addition to bypassing marketing restrictions, many of these strategies operate out of sight of the public health community and most of the public and so go unchecked by either tobacco control advocates or public opinion. This article suggests that a first step in countering these practices is to increase awareness and understanding of them, followed by development of strategies to address them and to limit or eliminate their use in tobacco marketing.
TL;DR: The Coalition Technical Assistance and Training Framework uses a 6-step process to diagnose coalition strengths and challenges and provide a prescription for action and empowerment approach helps coalition staff and members help themselves to be more effective and efficient.
Abstract: Coalition staff, leaders, and members need training to promote coalition building and maintenance as well as ongoing technical assistance. The Coalition Technical Assistance and Training Framework uses a 6-step process to diagnose coalition strengths and challenges and provide a prescription for action. Re-evaluation after a specified time period helps determine whether a coalition adopted recommended changes in coalition participants, structures, and/or processes and progressed through stages of development. This empowerment approach helps coalition staff and members help themselves to be more effective and efficient. The framework was piloted with the Virginia Healthy Start Initiative from November 1997 to June 2001. Seven perinatal councils that focused on preventing low-weight births and infant mortality adopted 75% of the recommended actions within 1 year. Results from a pre and post-assessment tool after 3 years showed significant progress in the coalitions’ ability to develop effective participants...
TL;DR: The six-step process enabled the community groups to accomplish their short-term community goals: developing effective after-school programs and resolving problems of damaged homes and blighted properties in a relatively short time and continuing on their collaborative work.
Abstract: This article illustrates a method used in a community empowerment project where community members and university facilitators collaborated to increase the capacity of the community. The method may have practical uses in collaborations with community groups. The six-step process enabled the community groups to accomplish their short-term community goals: developing effective after-school programs and resolving problems of damaged homes and blighted properties in a relatively short time and continuing on their collaborative work. Having a social ecological model as a conceptual framework was helpful for the community to assess their status and develop action plans. Consistent community meetings, open communication, focused community leadership, community networking, and collaboration of community organizations and a university were the factors that reinforced the empowerment process. Challenges such as maximizing limited resources and generating more participation from the community need to be resolved while the reinforcing factors are cultivated.
TL;DR: A case study of the process evaluation undertaken as part of Quit Together, a randomized trial of the effectiveness of an intervention to improve smoking cessation and relapse prevention among low-income pregnant and postpartum women who receive care at community health centers (CHCs).
Abstract: Researchers and their community partners have been challenged by funders and political entities to translate what is learned in research into practice. Such translation is more challenging than it appears, and it is important to systematically make use of opportunities available to learn about facilitators and barriers to the implementation of effectiveness research in real-world settings. This article presents a case study of the process evaluation undertaken as part of Quit Together, a randomized trial of the effectiveness of an intervention to improve smoking cessation and relapse prevention among low-income pregnant and postpartum women who receive care at community health centers (CHCs). The analysis considers areas of program implementation failure that may need critical rethinking. The article demonstrates the importance of process-monitoring methods to examine context factors of collaborative research, outlines lessons learned and the challenges of research carried out in CHCs, and summarizes impl...
TL;DR: The Transtheoretical Model enhanced the program by providing a framework for design and a method for reaching a wider audience of older adults with important health information, and the concepts of the model were successfully used for program planning, curriculum development, and program evaluation.
Abstract: The application of theory to practice can be challenging. This article describes the experiences of one organization in applying the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to a health promotion program for older adults, Health Stages. The concepts of the model, especially stage of change, were successfully used for program planning, curriculum development, and program evaluation. A Programming Grid was developed to guide curriculum development and evaluate if programs were reaching out to people at all stages of readiness to make healthy changes. Other TTM constructs, including self-efficacy, decisional balance, and processes of change were incorporated into the Health Stages curriculum. Evaluation showed that the pilot sites increased their offering of action- and maintenance-oriented programs, filling in the gaps in current programming. Older adults were receptive and interested in the model. The TTM enhanced the program by providing a framework for design and a method for reaching a wider audience of older adults with important health information.
TL;DR: Results show overall high levels of advertising, promotional activity, and price increase trends across the United States from 1999 to 2002, nationally, by region, and by locale.
Abstract: Research indicates that one impact of the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) may be to increase the focus of the tobacco industry's marketing approach on the retail tobacco environment. This article aims to provide an overview of and trends in the post-MSA American tobacco retail environment from 1999 to 2002, nationally, by region, and by locale. We examined the following specific retail tobacco environment issues: price, promotions, advertising, and placement, which stimulate or reduce demand for tobacco products. Data for this article were obtained as part of the ImpacTeen Project-A Policy Research Partnership to Reduce Youth Substance Use. Results show overall high levels of advertising, promotional activity, and price increase trends across the United States. Tobacco promotions in stores increased between 2001 and 2002. Stores in the south and rural areas tended to have the lowest prices and highest prevalence of promotions and advertising, suggesting a need for tobacco control intervention.
TL;DR: To adequately monitor tobacco industry expenditures as they adapt to the MSA and other tobacco control efforts, more refined reporting categories are essential.
Abstract: The 1998 multistate Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with the tobacco industry restricted cigarette advertising and promotions. The MSA monetary settlement was also associated with an average cigarette price increase of U.S.$1.19/pack between 1998 and 2001 to fund, in part, industry payments to the states. We examined Federal Trade Commission reports on how the tobacco industry spends its cigarette advertising and promotional dollars to see if changes expected as a result of the MSA occurred. Expected changes included reduced total expenditures and reductions for outdoor advertising, specialty promotional items identified with a brand (e.g., caps, t-shirts, lighters), and public entertainment. However, tobacco industry spending for advertising and promotions increased 96% between 1995 and 2001, with large increases in 1998 and 1999, as the MSA took effect. Between 1997 and 2001, outdoor advertising declined 98%, expenditures for specialty promotional items decreased 41%, although public entertainment inc...
TL;DR: This article describes the development of a program to increase Pap screening behavior among women in Taiwan that used methods such as information transmission, modeling, persuasion, and facilitation.
Abstract: This article describes the development of a program to increase Pap screening behavior among women in Taiwan. Intervention mapping, an innovative process of intervention design, guided the development of this program. The development process included a needs assessment identifying factors influencing Pap screening behavior relevant to Chinese women. The program used methods such as information transmission, modeling, persuasion, and facilitation. Strategies included direct mail communication, role-model stories and testimonials, and a telephone-counseling component. The delineation of specific plans for implementation and evaluation are also described.
TL;DR: A history of the Asian Tobacco Education, Cancer Awareness and Research’s pioneering efforts in conducting community-based participatory research among Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey is presented.
Abstract: In the past few decades, community-based participatory research, which underscores the indispensable role of the community in all phases of the research process, has been recognized as a viable approach to working constructively with communities to achieve mutually beneficial goals. This article presents a history of the Asian Tobacco Education, Cancer Awareness and Research's pioneering efforts in conducting community-based participatory research among Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Information about project background, target populations, and the rationale for the conduct of community-based participatory research in American communities is provided. It also delineates the manner in which the principles of community-based participatory research were applied as guides for the development of partnership infrastructures, research programs, and the challenges and barriers that were encountered. Facilitating factors in partnership building, and implications of employing this model in this ethnically and racially diverse population, are further discussed.
TL;DR: The 10-year history of the first college credit-bearing community health worker certificate program in the country is chronicled to address the need for standardized education in programs that emphasize the actual skills and knowledge used by community health workers.
Abstract: Community health workers have become increasingly important in the U.S. health care system, playing a significant role in basic health promotion and care coordination; however, their status and visibility have not kept pace with their wider use. A major impediment has been the absence of systematic preparation—the field needs standardized education in programs that emphasize the actual skills and knowledge used by community health workers, programs that attract and retain nontraditional students from underserved communities and that foster professional advancement. This article chronicles the 10-year history of the first college credit-bearing community health worker certificate program in the country to address this need. Systematic research resulted in a program centered on the core competencies universally practiced by community health workers regardless of their topical focus. The certificate program combines performance-based methods with popular education into an innovative pedagogical approach that...
TL;DR: A list of references, used in the body of a document to give credit to the publications of others (or the author’s previous work), provides complete information needed to find the paper, book, or document referenced.
Abstract: s. Abstracts are abbreviated descriptions of studies or theories. Abstracts of papers from scientific meetings can be useful in several ways although limited in length and do not include enough information about the research method to permit a reviewer to make a judgment about the scientific merits of the study. However, they can alert the reviewer to more recent scientific studies, provide useful leads to discovering other more fully described studies, or identify the name and location of researchers who can be contacted for further information. Peer review. Peer-reviewed papers describing original research are expected to have been evaluated through the peer-review process. A peer is a person with the same or superior expertise in a scientific subject as the author of a research article. A peer-reviewed paper is one that has undergone the scrutiny of one or more scientific experts. Citation. Citations are used in the body of a document to give credit to the publications of others (or the author’s previous work). They provide little information. Readers must go to the list of references or to the bibliography to learn more about the document. Reference. The reference is the actual documentation of the work cited; it provides complete information needed to find the paper, book, or document referenced, including the title of the scientific paper, name and volume number of the journal, and the year published. A list of references at the end of the paper or book chapter consists of all references cited in a scientific paper. Computer software programs (EndNote or ProCite) automatically convert a list of references into a preferred format. Bibliography. This is a list of references plus references to books and other documents not quoted or cited in the text but suggested for further reading.
TL;DR: Key concepts associated with early stages of collaborative development are described, with a focus on forming a group identity and weathering the conflicts associated with task and personnel issues.
Abstract: The practice of interprofessional collaboration is increasingly being recognized as an important skill for educators, health professionals, and social service providers. Collaboration involves team building and developing integrated service delivery mechanisms to improve outcomes for recipients of health, education, and social services. The focus on health promotion and illness prevention has led to an increasing demand for health educators to become involved in these collaboratives as members and more often as facilitators. Key concepts associated with early stages of collaborative development are described, with a focus on forming a group identity and weathering the conflicts associated with task and personnel issues. Descriptions and instructions for facilitating activities to move the group successfully through these initial stages are described.
TL;DR: The authors discuss past research wrongs and highlight culturally competent research strategies to aid Native communities in tobacco abuse prevention and education and hope to contribute to bridging the gap between culturally relevant research and culturally relevant health promotion.
Abstract: With the highest tobacco abuse prevalence among all minorities, American Indians incur high rates of tobacco-related cancers As a people, we have the poorest survival rate from cancer of any racial or ethnic group, due to a lack of access to specialist care and to low socioeconomic status (http://infohisgov) With such epidemic abuse of commercial tobacco, we continuously lose our elders, adults, and children to disease and premature death Therefore, it is essential to investigate theories of prevention, addiction, and cessation specifically related to our ethnicity The authors of this article discuss past research wrongs and highlight culturally competent research strategies to aid Native communities in tobacco abuse prevention and education The authors hope to contribute to bridging the gap between culturally relevant research and culturally relevant health promotion
TL;DR: Findings from the Phase 1 participatory planning process are shared and the implications these findings and lessons learned may have for programs aiming to reduce health disparities in multiethnic communities are discussed.
Abstract: African Americans and Latinos share higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes compared with Whites. These diseases have common risk factors that are amenable to primary and secondary prevention. The goal of the Chicago REACH 2010–Lawndale Health Promotion Project is to eliminate disparities related to CVD and diabetes experienced by African Americans and Latinos in two contiguous Chicago neighborhoods using a community-based prevention approach. This article shares findings from the Phase 1 participatory planning process and discusses the implications these findings and lessons learned may have for programs aiming to reduce health disparities in multiethnic communities. The triangulation of data sources from the planning phase enriched interpretation and led to more creative and feasible suggestions for programmatic interventions across the four levels of the ecological framework. Multisource data yielded useful information for program planning and a better understanding of the cultural di...
TL;DR: This article found confusion about the legitimacy of advocacy, lack of priority and funding for interventions that take more time versus quick fixes, variable leadership, reluctance to take risks, and a political climate that often discourages government agencies to take on these interventions.
Abstract: Solving major, persistent public health problems requires new policies and more aggressive, sweeping interventions that affect large populations. We need well-conceived health policies and effective interventions for environmental change, but are we likely to get them? To find out, the Directors of Health Promotion and Education and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiated a study of state and local public health agencies in the United States from 1996 through 1999. Data were collected by peer- and non-peer-reviewed literature searches, key informant interviews, reviews of Internet sites, and a nationwide survey. Study conclusions found confusion about the legitimacy of advocacy, lack of priority and funding for interventions that take more time versus quick fixes, variable leadership, reluctance to take risks, and a political climate that often discourages government agencies to take on these interventions. There are successes, yet more can be done.
TL;DR: This article illustrates the four steps in scenario planning for public health using a health department’s desire to address chronic disease prevention and control using an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
Abstract: Scenario planning is a method for anticipating possible alternative futures. Used widely in business applications, it allows planners to anticipate problems, reevaluate assumptions, and reflect on consequences of those alternative futures. In this article, scenario planning is applied to public health, specifically to illustrate the four steps in scenario planning for public health using a health department's desire to address chronic disease prevention and control. An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are considered to be key risk factors. The scenarios are presented in table format and are for illustration purposes only. Many other plausible scenarios could be constructed. Scenario planning allows stake-holders to define a desired, shared vision of the future, but more important, they can better prepare public health professionals to be successful in a constantly changing environment.
TL;DR: Trends indicate less receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions following the MSA but leave room for additional restrictions to further reduce receptivity.
Abstract: Tobacco marketing contributes to adolescent smoking initiation, and the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), therefore, included relevant restrictions. We analyzed data from large population surveys of Californians, conducted in 1992 (11,905 adults, ages 18 years and older), 1993 (5,531 adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years), and 1996 (6,252 adolescents, 18,616 adults) before the MSA, and in 1999 (6,090 adolescents, 14,729 adults) and 2002 (5,857 adolescents, 20,525 adults) following its implementation. Camel lost favorite-advertisement popularity after 1996, and between 1999 and 2002, there were large increases in the percentages declining to name a favorite advertisement. Ownership of tobacco promotional items declined from its peak in 1996. Furthermore, in 2002, close to 90% of adolescents and young adults reported seeing anti-tobacco messages on television in the past month, significantly higher than 1996. These trends indicate less receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions following the MSA but leave room for additional restrictions to further reduce receptivity.
TL;DR: The hypothesis that states with citizens who favor more restrictive indoor air policies allocate more to tobacco control is supported, as it is found that effective public education to change public opinion and the cultural norms surrounding smoking may affect political decisions and, in turn, increase funding for crucial public health programs.
Abstract: This research was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (#039787), as part of the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center at Yale and an AHRQ Training Grant supporting Yale Ph.D. students.
TL;DR: How CDC funded participatory research to establish local evidence and provided technical assistance for participatory program evalua-tion is described.
Abstract: Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already assisted state tobacco control initiatives, many state health departments turned to CDC for guid-ance on how to use Master Settlement Agreement mon-ies. This article describes how CDC funded participa-tory research to establish local evidence and provided technical assistance for participatory program evalua-tion. The article (a) presents a telephone interview study of principal investigators (PIs) to determine how CDC could best facilitate participatory research and (b) identifies factors CDC considered to devise evaluation technical assistance that reflected local context. The interview study identified 8 areas where PIs needed CDC’s support to undertake participatory research: con-tinuity, timeliness, flexibility, clear and explicit expec-tations, appropriate and instructive accountability, creation of a vision for participatory research, tailored technical assistance, and enhancement of partner col-laboration and support. These findi...
TL;DR: The Pap test detects cell changes in the cervix that can be treated, preventing cancer from developing, and lesbians may not be adequately screened because of a misperception that they do not need Pap tests.
Abstract: The Pap test detects cell changes in the cervix that can be treated, preventing cancer from developing. Regular screening reduced cervical cancer deaths by 70% since 1950. Lesbians may not be adequately screened because of a misperception that they do not need Pap tests. The “Lesbian Health Matters” public and provider education campaign was implemented to address this problem. Paid advertisements were placed on two radio stations and in four newspapers. After 1 week, both radio stations cancelled the ads due to listener complaints about hearing the word “lesbian” on the radio. The community responded to this discriminatory action by demanding the campaign be completed, creating publicity that increased the campaign’s reach to 34% of women in the region. A training program was implemented reaching 219 providers. Thirty-two hundred health providers were surveyed regarding lesbianfriendly practice. A database of 293 providers was created and 120 referrals made.