Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation and effectiveness of community education workshops to change genetics and health-related knowledge, intentions, and behavior of urban African Americans. Eight workshops were held and 183 participants consented to participate in the study. A majority of the participants were African American (97%) and female (84%) and just over half were 65 years and older (60%), and had some high school or were high school graduates (52%). The community-based workshops were standardized and comprised a 45-min PowerPoint presentation that included group discussions and interactive activities. The evaluation used a pre–post design with a 2-month follow-up. The group as a whole (and the subgroups by age and education level) significantly improved their knowledge of race and genetics from pretest to posttest as measured by their scores on the “Race”, Genetics, and Health knowledge questions. Findings around intentions showed that the largest number of participants pledged to collect family health history information from family members. Findings around behavior changes showed that, along the stages of change continuum, there were more participants at maintenance (stage 5) at the 2-month follow-up than at the pre-workshop for three health-related activities. Feedback was positive as participants indicated they appreciated the information they received and audience involvement. The article discusses local and global implications for practice and research among community health educators.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Because of the small sample sizes for the following age subgroups (years): 18–24 (n = 7), 25–34 (n = 11), and 35–54 (n = 7), the three groups were combined to 18–54 (n = 25).
References
Baptiste-Roberts K, Gary TL, Beckles GL, Gregg EW, Owens M, Porterfield D, Engelgau MM (2007) Family history of diabetes, awareness of risk factors, and health behaviors among African Americans. Am J Public Health 97(5):907–912. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2005.077032
Cano C, Davis-Cole JO, Johnson-Clarke F (2008) Vital statistics of the District of Columbia 2005. Department of Health, Government of the District of Columbia, Washington DC
Catz DS, Green NS, Tobin JN, Lloyd-Puryear MA, Kyler P, Umemoto A, Cernoch J, Brown R, Wolman F (2005) Attitudes about genetics in underserved, culturally diverse populations. Community Genet 8(3):161–172. doi:10.1159/000086759
Charles S, Kessler L, Stopfer JE, Domchek S, Halbert CH (2006) Satisfaction with genetic counseling for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations among African American women. Patient Educ Couns 63:1–2. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2005.10.007
Community Health Scholars Program (CHSP) (2002) The community health scholars program: stories of impact. Michigan, Ann Arbor
Dudley RE (2006) Assessing behavioral change in response to family health histories. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh
Freimuth VS, Quinn SC, Thomas SB, Cole G, Zook E, Duncan T (2001) African Americans' views on research and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Soc Sci Med 52(5):797–808. doi:10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00178-7
Giger J, Davidhizar RE, Purnell L, Harden JT, Phillips J, Strickland O (2007) American academy of nursing expert panel report: developing cultural competence to eliminate health disparities in ethnic minorities and other vulnerable populations. J Transcult Nurs 18:95–102. doi:10.1177/1043659606298618
Green LW, George MA, Daniel M, Frankish CJ, Herbert CP, Bowie WR, O'Neill M (1995) Study of participatory research in health promotion: review and recommendations for the development of participatory research in health promotion in Canada. Royal Society of Canada, Vancover
Hall MJ, Olopade OI (2006) Disparities on genetic testing: thinking outside the BRCA box. J Clin Oncol 24(14):2197–2203. doi:10.1200/JCO.2006.05.5889
Hariri S, Yoon PW, Qureshi N, Valdez R, Scheuner MT, Khoury MJ (2006) Family history of type 2 diabetes: a population-based screening tool for prevention? Genet Med 8(2):102–108. doi:10.1097/01.gim.0000200949.52795.df
Hawkins DS, Hornsby PP, Schorling JB, 1 (2001) Stages of change and weight loss among rural African American women. Obes Res 9:59–67. doi:10.1038/oby.2001.8
Israel BA, Schulz AJ, Parker EA, Becker AB (1998) Review of community-based research: assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Ann Rev Public Health 19:173–202. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.19.1.173
Kessler L, Collier A, Halbert CH, 2 (2007) Knowledge about genetics among African Americans. J Genet Couns 16:191–200. doi:10.1007/s10897-006-9054-3
Long KA, Thomas SB, Grubs RE, Gettig EA, Krishnamurti L (2011) Attitudes and beliefs of African-Americans toward genetics, genetic testing, and sickle cell disease education and awareness. J Genet Counsel. doi:10.1007/s10897-011-9388-3
Marteau T, Lerman C (2001) Genetic risk and behavioural change. BMJ 322(7293):1056–1059. doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7293.1056
Minkler M, Wallerstein N (2003) Community-based participatory research for health. Jossey-Bass, California
Murthy VS, Garza MA, Almario DA, Vogel KJ, Grubs RE, Gettig EA, Wilson JW, Thomas SB (2011) Using a family history intervention to improve cancer risk perception in a black community. J Genet Couns doi:10.1007/s10897-011-9389-2
O'Leary J, Edelson V, Gardner N, Gepp A, Kyler P, Moore P, Petruccio C, Williams M, Terry S, Bowen D, 2 (2011) Community-centered family health history: a customized approach to increased health communication and awareness. Prog Community Health Partnersh 5:113–122. doi:10.1353/cpr.2011.0016
Prochaska JO, DiClemente CC (1983) Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: toward an integrative model of change. J Consult Clin Psychol 51(3):390–395
Royal C, Baffoe-Bonnie A, Kittles R et al (2000) Recruitment experience in the first phase of the African American hereditary prostate cancer (AAHPC) study. Ann Epidemiol 10(8):S68–S77. doi:10.1016/S1047-2797(00)00194-0
Schorling JB (1995) The stages of change of rural African-American smokers. Am J Prev Med 11(3):170–177
Singer E, Antonucci T, Van Hoewyk J (2004) Racial and ethnic variations in knowledge and attitudes about genetic testing. Genet Test 8(1):31–43. doi:10.1089/109065704323016012
Steele-Moses SK, Russell KM, Bourff S, Champion VL, Monahan P, Kreuter M, 1 (2009) Cultural constructs, stage of change, and adherence to mammography among low-income African American women. J Health Care Poor Underserved 20:257–273. doi:10.1353/hpu.0.0123
Suther S, Kiros GE (2009) Barriers to the use of genetic testing: a study of racial and ethnic disparities. Genet Med 11(9):655–662
Ten Kate LP, Al-Gazali L, Anand S et al (2010) Community genetics: its definition 2010. J Community Genet 1:19–22. doi:10.1007/s12687-010-0007-z
Thompson HS, Valdimarsdottir HB, Jandorf L, Redd W, 3 (2003) Perceived disadvantages and concerns about abuses of genetic testing for cancer risk: differences across African American, Latina and Caucasian women. Patient Educ Couns 51:217–227. doi:10.1016/S0738-3991(02)00219-7
U.S. Census Bureau, Office of Planning (2000) United States Census 2000: profile of general demographic characteristics. http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/dp1/2kh11.pdf. Accessed 2 March 2011
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (2000) Healthy people 2010: understanding and improving health. GPO, Washington, DC
Vogel KJ, Murthy VS, Dudley B, Grubs RE, Gettig E, Ford A, Thomas SB (2007) The use of family health histories to address health disparities in an African American community. Health Promot Pract 8(4):350–357. doi:10.1177/1524839906293395
Walcott-McQuigg JA, Prohaska TR, 3 (2001) Factors influencing participation of African American elders in exercise behavior. Public Health Nurs 18:194–203. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1446.2001.00194.x
Wallerstein N, Duran B (2003) The conceptual, historical, and practice roots of community based participatory research and related participatory traditions. In: Minkler M, Wallerstein N (eds) Community-based participatory research for health. Jossey-Bass, California, pp 27–52
World Health Organization (2010) Community genetics services: report of a WHO consultation on community genetics in low- and middle-income countries. World Health Organization. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241501149_eng.pdf. Accessed 24 July 2011
Yoon PW, Scheuner MT, Peterson-Oehlke KL, Gwinn M, Faucett A, Khoury MJ (2002) Can family history be used as a tool for public health and preventive medicine? Genet Med 4(4):304–310
Zimmerman RK, Tabbarah M, Nowalk MP, Raymund M, Jewell IK, Wilson SA, Ricci EM (2006) Racial differences in beliefs about genetic screening among patients at inner-city neighborhood health centers. J Natl Med Assoc 98(3):370–377
Acknowledgments
This project was supported by grant U33MC00157 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Genetics Services Branch to the March of Dimes Foundation. Partners for the Community Genetics Services Network (CGEN) include HRSA, March of Dimes Foundation, Dominican Women's Development Center, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Genetic Science Learning Center at University of Utah, Utah Department of Health, the National Human Genome Center and the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Howard University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago—Midwest Latino Health Research, Training and Policy Center.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Manswell Butty, JA., Richardson, F., Mouton, C.P. et al. Evaluation findings from genetics and family health history community-based workshops for African Americans. J Community Genet 3, 1–12 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-011-0068-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-011-0068-7