Vicki Freimuth

African Americans' views on research and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

The participation of African Americans in clinical and public health research is essential. However, for a multitude of reasons, participation is low in many research studies. This article reviews the literature that substantiates barriers to participation and the legacy of past abuses of human subjects through research. The article then reports the results of seven focus groups with 60 African Americans in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Atlanta during the winter of 1997. In order to improve recruitment and retention in research, the focus group study examined knowledge of and attitudes toward medical research, knowledge of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, and reactions to the Home Box Office production, Miss Evers Boys, a fictionalized version of the Tuskegee Study, that premiered in February, 1997. The study found that accurate knowledge about research was limited; lack of understanding and trust of informed consent procedures was problematic; and distrust of researchers posed a substantial barrier to recruitment. Additionally, the study found that, in general, participants believed that research was important, but they clearly distinguished between types of research they would be willing to consider participating in and their motivations for doing so.

Attitudes and behaviors related to fruits and vegetables among low-income women in the WIC program:

Abstract This article describes formative research conducted as part of a study aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Focus group discussions and central location intercept interviews were conducted with WIC participants to answer questions such as (1) What are their food shopping, preparation, and eating habits? (2) What perceptions do they have about fruits and vegetables? (3) What barriers do they face to increased consumption of fruits and vegetables? and (4) What motivations and messages might be effective in promoting increased consumption? Results indicated that these women, while generally responsible for food shopping and preparation, did not cook extensively.They reported many positive perceptions of fruits and vegetables, but also identified barriers to increasing consumption, including lack of availability, time and effort to prepare, and preference for other foods. Several implications for nutrition interventions were suggested. First, a key motivation for these women was being a good role model for their children, suggesting a persuasive appeal to use in interventions. Second, review of the womens current eating behaviors led to an identification of five specific behaviors that had the most potential for increasing overall consumption. Finally, the findings suggested ways in which nutrition interventions could address each of the barriers identified.

Right Turns Only: An Evaluation of a Video-Based, Multicultural Drug Education Series for Seventh Graders

This study assessed the effectiveness of a video-based, multicultural drug education series for seventh graders. Right Turns Only (RTO) was produced by the Prince Georges County Public School System in Maryland and funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intentions of 1,036 seventh-grade students who received the RTO curriculum alone or as a supplement to a traditional drug education curriculum (SMART) were measured to test the effects of this video series and its collateral print materials.

Changing women's lives: A communication perspective on participatory qualitative research techniques for gender equity

Abstract In this paper, we first describe Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA), a group of qualitative research techniques that have the potential to raise the status of women, particularly when carried out with all members of a community. We then present the traditional formative evaluation research methods such as focus groups and central location intercept interviews and discuss their use. We critically analyze the assumptions about information and audiences that underlie these traditional methods, and then explain PRA techniques, the principles that govern their use as well as limitations to date vis‐a‐vis gender, followed by several examples. The paper concludes by illustrating how PRA can be used from a communications perspective for gender equity in developing countries.

The application of "integrated marketing communications" to social marketing and health communication: Organizational challenges and implications

n Influencing consumer behavior is a difficult and often resource-intensive undertaking, with success usually requiring identifying, describing, and understanding target audiences; solid product and/or service positioning relative to competitors; and significant media and communication resources. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a new way of organizing and managing persuasive communication tools and functions which involves realigning communications to consider the flow of information from an organization from the viewpoint of end consumers. Although the application of IMC to social marketing remains relatively unexplored, the IMC literature and recent efforts by the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control suggest that integrated communication approaches have much to offer social marketing and health communication efforts. IMC, IMC and social marketing, and implications of IMC for public and private sector social marketing programs are discussed.n

Epilogue to the Special Issue on Anthrax

On behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I would like to thank Scott Ratzan and the editorial board of the Journal of Health Communication for agreeing to devote this special supplemental issue to lessons we can learn about communication from the bioterrorist anthrax attacks of fall 2001. Communication is no panacea for terrrorist health threats, but effective communication can help minimize the damage done in this kind of crisis and mobilize preparedness efforts. The topic of emergency health risk communication is multifaceted; extensive journalistic and scholarly attention has already been focused on many of the broader communication issues raised by the anthrax crisis. For example, a special issue of the Journal of Communication brought together some relevant theoretical perspectives in early fall 2001. The CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) (www.cdc.gov/eid.htm) devoted a special issue to the topic of anthrax; communication-relevant articles were included. A relevant Government Accounting Office report was recently released. CDC is also aware of a number of case studies and books being written on the topic and research projects that are currently underway. While these other efforts discuss broad issues, this CDC-sponsored special issue emphasizes the specific role played by CDC in communicating about anthrax in multiple settings to multiple audiences. Voices from inside the government and from external vantage points are heard in the full length articles and in the brief commentaries included here. Instead of a simple story about a day in the life of an ideal emergency health risk message, the offerings sum to suggest that the emergency risk communication challenge is extremely complex. Starting at the level of the health message, several contributors to this special issue point out that basic health literacy guidelines were not followed by universally disseminated anthrax messages. Moreover, like the authors of Healthy People 2010, the present authors explain that health literacy in today’s world means a lot more than just being able to read and comprehend the words in health messages. The authors differ (at least implicitly) in their views on how inclusive the definition of health literacy should be and what the role of the public health system should be in promoting health literacy. These issues deserve further study and debate. Articles by Susan Robinson and Christine Prue and their colleagues describe and critique the mechanics of information processing within CDC and some of its organizational partners during the anthrax crisis. They recommend that CDC not only update equipment and conduct coordinated communication monitoring so that the right messages are delivered in a timely and consistent fashion, but also (somewhat paradoxically)

Identity Building and Branding at CDC: A Case Study:

When asked to describe the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people think of outbreak investigations and“blue rubber suits.”This narrow view of CDCs broad scope of work makes it harder to ensure that critical health information gets to people who need it to live safer and healthier lives. CDCs Director recognizes that making our science available and understandable can help us be more effective in meeting our public health mission. To build a system that will help people better understand CDCs broad scope, the Director initiated an identity-building process based on audience research. The findings consistently pointed to CDCs reputation for action, as well as three aspects of CDCs work that were seen as valuable and unique: protecting peoples health and safety, providing health information people can count on, and improving health through strong partnerships. From this foundation, graphic and writing standards, a new logo, tagline, and a brand architecture strategy that all communicate CDCs identity and benefits of its work were created and tested. This article provides an in-depth case study of this initiative to date at CDC.