292494
More than a picnic: It's a family affair for lifestyle behavior change
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Kentya Ford, DrPH, CHES,
Health Outcomes and Pharmacy Practice Division, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX
Claudia Coggin, PhD,
Social and Behavioral Sciences, UNTHSC School of Public Health, Fort Worth, TX
More Than a Picnic is an innovative cancer education and intervention program that utilizes the Black Family Reunion & Church Family Reunion as venues for informing, inspiring, and transforming knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about cancer risk reduction and early detection screening services. Methods: The pilot program uses an integrated social support network and PEN-3 Model conceptual framework. Nineteen AA families (40 adults) were recruited from Black church and family reunions. A family health coach (FHC) collaborates with a family health professional (FHP) to deliver a 30 minute cancer education session at a family reunion. Family participants elect to enroll in a 6 to 12 month Lifestyle Behavior Change (LBC) program to reduce risk for breast, colorectal, cervical, and lung cancer. A structured reward system provides incentives for family units to personalize LBC sustainable through family support systems. Results: Lifestyle behaviors are culture bound and influenced by family social networks. Healthier lifestyle attitudes and early detection screening practices are grounded in family social networks. Over 1500 African-Americans have received the MTAP message and access cancer prevention resources through the MTAP online education portal. Twenty family units have taken the LBC CHALLENGE and implemented personalized programs. Conclusion: Black family reunions represent a unique venue for educating family members about early detection screening and LBC for cancer prevention/risk reduction. Family networks within church and family reunions can be utilized to foster positive perceptions about LBC; and nurture early detection screening that increase opportunities for improved breast, cervical, and colorectal care and treatment outcomes.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe the components of an innovative family focused cancer prevention and early detection program.
Discuss the first year results of the family focused education and intervention program on African-American families.
Explain how to develop 3 levels of community partnerships to create a network of African-American families engaged in self-directed lifestyle behavior change aimed at reducing risk for cancer.
Identify the aspects of the Black Family Reunion that make it an ideal venue for cancer prevention and cancer risk reduction education.
Keyword(s): Cancer Prevention, Family Involvement
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Principal Investigator and Project Director for the funded project. I directed all project activities under an approved IRB from Texas A&M University.
I am a professor on sabbatical at the Social and Health Research Center who has a new appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Florida International University/College of Public Health& Social Work.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
