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Principal Investigator(s): Scott McCoy, Med,1 and Steven
Weis, MD2
Project Dates: September 2003 - September 2006
Background: According to the CDC Division of Tuberculosis
Elimination's (DTBE) Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2004,
foreign-born persons accounted for 54% of all tuberculosis (TB) cases in the
United States in 2004. Case rates among persons of Hispanic origin were 27 per
100,000, compared to the rate of 3 per 100,000 for their U.S.-born
counterparts. The purpose of this project is to develop culturally appropriate
TB educational materials for leaders and staff of Hispanic service
organizations (HSOs), for use by state and local TB programs to enhance their
partnership efforts with HSOs. These materials, produced in both English and
Spanish, will provide HSOs with information that addresses their specific
cultural and educational needs about TB. The materials will also enable TB
control programs to more effectively collaborate with HSOs in their efforts to
eliminate TB.
Objectives: The information gathered from leaders and staff of
HSOs and TB programs will be used to create material that will describe, but
not be limited to, the following topics: 1) the TB burden in the Hispanic
population; 2) latent TB infection; 3) active TB disease; 4) contact
investigation; 5) specific issues for Hispanic foreign-born persons (both
documented and undocumented immigrants) and Hispanic U.S.-born persons in
regards to the treatment and testing of TB; 6) directly observed therapy (DOT);
and 7) practical recommendations on how HSOs can help decrease TB among their
high-risk clients.
Target Audience: Leaders and staff of Hispanic service
organizations
Methods: A systematic health education planning process
was utilized to develop culturally appropriate materials for leaders and staff
of HSOs. The steps in this process are outlined below.
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Planning and strategy development: The initial activity of this project
included strategy formulation and development of a written project plan.
Existing materials were identified using a variety of methods, including an
environmental scan, literature review, and exploratory channel identification.
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Developing messages and materials: Based on findings from planning and strategy
development, culturally sensitive TB educational materials were drafted in both
English and Spanish. These materials were pretested with representatives from
the target audience.
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Pretesting the materials: Materials and messages were revised based on the
results of exploratory research conducted with the target audience.
Field-testing addressed (and will continue to address) content, format, and
design issues.
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Assessing the effectiveness and making refinements: The materials will be
finalized based on the results of field-testing conducted with the target
audiences. TB controllers will also provide evaluations of the final product
and further revisions will be made based on this feedback.
Results: Focus group discussion topics included formats for
educational materials, content, and visuals for leaders and staff of HSOs. The
format of the pretested HSO educational materials was based on the results of
focus group sessions conducted with participants from these organizations.
Field testing of materials ascertained the opinions, reactions, and beliefs of
the target audience regarding acceptability, feasibility, usability,
readability, and comprehension of the materials. These findings will also be
used to prepare a marketing plan for the use and distribution of these
materials.
Contact Information:
Scott McCoy, MEd
Health Education Specialist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E-10
Atlanta, GA 30333
E-mail: smccoy1@cdc.gov
Publications: Educational materials forthcoming
Relative Content:
1 Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2 University of North Texas Health Sciences Center (UNTHSC)
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