title: Using focus group methodology to develop breast cancer screening programs that recruit African American women.
abstract: Public communication campaigns are designed to increase the number of women who receive mammograms, breast examinations, and cervical exams. However, these campaigns have failed to recruit sufficient numbers of African American women. Focus group techniques were used to provide data to develop a communication campaign that would increase the knowledge, assess the attitudes, and change behaviors of African American women, aged 40-65, about the aforementioned preventive health practices. The discussions revealed that participants distrusted "clinics" and preferred being examined by "their own" or a private physician. Results further revealed that the personal influence of opinion leaders, combined with interpersonal contacts that encourage preventive care, help influence women to participate in mammography and cervical cancer screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Telecommunication, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D014481:United States; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D016387:Women's Health