Health literacy and online health discussions of North American Black women.
OBJECTIVE
Women increasingly use the Internet for healthcare information. This pilot study examined the use of online chat rooms as a potential health promotion resource for women of color.


METHODS
A directed qualitative content analysis assessed discussions (2002/2003 and 2004/2005) from two Internet chat rooms targeted to North American, English-speaking Black women.


METHODS
Verbatim transcripts were assessed using Nutbeam's (2001) model of health literacy.


RESULTS
Chat 1 and Chat 2 had 18 and 54 messages, respectively. Transcript readability was below grade 8 level. Discussions provided information on healthy behaviors, social support, and provocation for political action.


CONCLUSIONS
The chat rooms provided health promotion information and social support at recommended readability levels and are illustrative of contemporary reorientation of health promotion services.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
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Donelle
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Hoffman-Goetz
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003197:Computer Literacy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires