title: Issues in revising research instruments for use with Southern populations.
abstract: Researchers are in the initial stages of developing instruments that give insight into culture. Through these efforts nurses are gaining a more complete picture of the client's perspective on health and response to illness. Little emphasis has been given in the literature to adapting instruments for use with English speaking American sub-cultures. In this manuscript, a process used to revise instruments to capture elements of beliefs about managing uncertainty during treatment for cancer by Southern White and African-American men and women is presented. Bridging the gap in cultural knowledge between the investigators and study population is explored. Issues of instrument reliability and construct validity are addressed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27411, USA. HarrisL@NCAT.edu
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belyea
authors.forename: Merele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mishel
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Germino
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology*; D009657:North Carolina; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011340:Problem Solving; D011594:Psychometrics; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D012660:Semantics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D035501:Uncertainty; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*