 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Michelle Allen, BA1, Veronica Hartwell, MSW1, Ruby Hardy, BA1, Elijah D. Cameron, BA, MS1, Korede Akinbami, BS2, Sheena Pope-Holland, BA, MSW1, Coti Perez-Espinoza1, Anthony Lomax1, and David Fisher1. (1) Georgia Syphilis Elimination Project, Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness, 99 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, 3rd Floor, Suite E, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-730-1506, mlallen2@dhr.state.ga.us, (2) Georgia Syphilis Elimination Project, Fulton County Department Health and Wellness, 99 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, 3rd Floor, Suite E, Atlanta, GA 30303
Background: A message testing study was conducted to pilot test sample health education posters. The pilot was implemented to determine, which poster would be best received by communities that were disproportionately affected by syphilis.
Objectives: To identify health messages that were culturally competent, linguistically specified, educationally appropriate and presented in terminology consistent with the target populations through appropriate channels and methods of communication.
Methods: The study used two survey assessments. Assessment instrument one was a 7-item survey that asked each participant to review and identify which poster they liked “better and why”. Assessment instrument two was a 22-item inventory of words that described the participant’s feelings about each poster.
Results: A total of 345 participants were surveyed in 6 high-risk communities. The results revealed that 47% (162) of participants were African-Americans and 44.6% (154) Hispanic/Latino. The majority (73%) of participants indicated that the posters had all the information needed to encourage a person to get tested. Ninety percent reported that the messages would make them think about getting tested, and 82% reported that the messages would make them get tested.
Conclusions: These results indicated that when the target population is involved in developing health awareness messages to modify behavior toward testing for an STD, 90% would think about getting tested, and 82% would get tested.
Learning Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of message testing in communities disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted diseases especially communities of color.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.