Culturally targeted educational intervention to increase colorectal health awareness among African Americans.
OBJECTIVE
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third cause of cancer deaths for African Americans.


OBJECTIVE
1) increase CRC knowledge, 2) decrease cancer fatalism, and 3) increase colonoscopy screening for CRC among African Americans in North Carolina.


METHODS
Churches and community-based organizations were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received a 90-minute culturally targeted educational program on colorectal health. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were completed by both groups.


RESULTS
A total of 539 African American men and women 50 years of age and older participated in this study. The intervention group had a significantly greater proportion of those receiving a colonoscopy within three months after the educational session than the control group. In the intervention group, CRC knowledge significantly increased and cancer fatalism attitudes significantly decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
A culturally targeted faith/community-based educational intervention can increase CRC knowledge, decrease cancer fatalism, and increase screening for CRC among African Americans.
Morgan
Phyllis D
PD
Department of Nursing, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA. phyllis.morgan@waldenu.edu
Fogel
Joshua
J
Tyler
Indira D
ID
Jones
John R
JR
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003469:Culture; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires