Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105541

Joan E. Cowdery, PhD, Amy Thompson, RD, and Shandowyn Parker, PhD, MPH. Department of Health Sciences & Administration, University of Michigan, Flint, 2102 WSW Bldg., Flint, MI 48502, 810-762-3172, jcowdery@umich.edu

Focusing on cultural influences and the integration of beliefs along with providing culturally sensitive messages may prove to be a more effective strategy for addressing health issues in minority communities. The PEN-3 model was developed to centralize culture in health promotion and disease prevention interventions. As part of a three year NIH funded project “Community Campus Partnership to Reduce Health Disparities” this project examines the application of the PEN-3 Cultural Framework in the planning and development of a culturally specific, locally relevant intervention to prevent Diabetes among African-Americans. A comprehensive needs assessment and subsequent community dialogues were used to guide the intervention development process. The PEN-3 model provided the framework for identifying and prioritizing cultural issues to be addressed and in identifying intervention entry points. The results of 13 elicitation interviews, 3 focus groups, and 200 surveys were analyzed with major themes disseminated and presented to the community for validation. Major themes included overall lack of knowledge regarding Diabetes, issues of denial and stigma, sense of inevitability, influence of family on perceptions and behaviors, communication issues with health care providers and lack of cultural competence of health care providers, and lack of culturally sensitive materials. The results from the needs assessment were placed within the framework of the PEN-3 model and used as the foundation for developing the subsequent intervention. Use of the PEN-3 cultural framework for intervention development provides valuable guidelines for ensuring the intervention is culturally specific by placing culture at the center of the planning process.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session the participant will be able to explain the primary tenets of the PEN-3model.
• At the conclusion of the session the participant will be able to articulate the process of applying the PEN-3 model to the planning of a Diabetes prevention intervention.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation