title: STEP sisters, sex, and STDs: a process evaluation of the recruitment of lay health advisors.
abstract: Individual interviews, field observations, and group debriefings were used in this qualitative study that assessed the accuracy of the recruitment strategy used to identify natural helpers to assist African American women, aged 18-34, to prevent and seek care for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The study indicates that the recruitment strategy is effective when a list of natural helpers is generated by advisory groups from the same geographic community. Screening protocols used to interview potential natural helpers appear to reduce later barriers to advising on sensitive topics like STDs. The data suggest the importance of using community members to identify natural helpers and the importance of addressing sensitive topics early in the recruitment process.
authors.affiliation: Guilford Country Department of Public Health, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D003150:Community Health Workers; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D010560:Personnel Selection; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*