title: Issues in Developing and Evaluating a Culturally Tailored Internet Cancer Support Group.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to explore practical issues in developing and implementing a culturally tailored Internet Cancer Support Group for a group of ethnic minority patients with cancer-Asian Americans. Throughout the research process of the original study testing the Internet cancer support group, the research team made written records of practical issues and plausible rationales for the issues. Weekly group discussion among research team members was conducted, and the discussion records were evaluated and analyzed using a content analysis (with individual words as the unit of analysis). The codes from the analysis process were categorized into idea themes, through which the issues were extracted. The issues included those in (1) difficulties in using multiple languages, (2) collaboration with the information technology department and technical challenges, (3) difficulties in recruitment, (4) difficulties in retention, (5) optimal timing, and (6) characteristics of the users. Based on the findings, we suggest that researchers plan a workable translation process, check technical needs in advance, use multiple strategies to recruit and retain research participants, plan the right time for data collection, and consider characteristics of the users in the study design.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: School of Nursing (Drs Im, Lee, and Chee, and Mss Ji and Kim), Annenberg School for Communication (Dr Zhang), School of Engineering Applied Science (Ms Chee), and School of Medicine (Drs Schapira and Mao), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Chang Gung University of Science Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr Tsai); Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan (Dr Nishigaki); and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Dr Yeo). Drs E.-O. Im and W. Chee, have moved to School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Eun-Ok
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sangmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yaelim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Wonshik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Hsiu-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishigaki
authors.forename: Seon Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schapira
authors.forename: Jun James
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D001213:Asian; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007802:Language; D008490:Medical Informatics; D009369:Neoplasms; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012107:Research Design; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014175:Translating