Advantages, Disadvantages, and Lessons Learned in Conducting Telephone Focus Groups to Discuss Biospecimen Research Concerns of Individuals Genetically at Risk for Cancer

Advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. This article reports our experiences using such technology to engage individuals genetically at risk for cancer about biospecimen research. Telephone-based focus groups were conducted with a total of 40 individuals, and participants were asked about their experiences and perceived benefits and limitations of participating in a telephone focus group about biospecimen research. The lessons learned can effectively be applied to other areas of health research. In particular, this method may be most useful to engage individuals who are less apt to speak in public, and/or when there are concerns over privacy if face-to-face discussions methods are used

Ethics of Clear Health Communication: Applying the CLEAN Look Approach to Communicate Biobanking Information for Cancer Research

Cancer innovations, such as biobanking technologies, are continuously evolving to improve our understanding and knowledge about cancer prevention and treatment modalities. However, the public receives little communication about biobanking and is often unaware about this innovation until asked to donate biospecimens. It is the researchers’ ethical duty to provide clear communications about biobanking and biospecimen research. Such information allows the public to understand biobanking processes and facilitates informed decision making about biospecimen donation. The aims of this paper are 1) to examine the importance of clear communication as an ethical imperative when conveying information about cancer innovations and 2) to illustrate the use of an organizing framework, the CLEAN (Culture, Literacy, Education, Assessment, and Networking) Look approach for creating educational priming materials about the topic of biobanking

Acculturation, Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Physical Activity in Mexican Origin Women

Purpose: Longer time in the United States (US) is associated with increased risk of obesity in Hispanic immigrants, particularly for women. Although previous research has established an association between nutrition and acculturation, little attention has focused on physical activity. In this study, we examine the associations between acculturation on Mexican origin women’s body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and report of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Method: Mexican origin women ≥18 years (n=120) from South Carolina (n=60) and Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (n=60) completed a survey and anthropometric measures. Participants reported MVPA in hours per week, country of birth, age at migration (\u3c16\u3eyears, 16-25 years, and ≥26 years), and language use. Using these latter two as indicators of acculturation, we evaluated associations between acculturation and BMI, WC, and MVPA. Results: Age standardized means for BMI indicated lowest BMI and waist circumference measures among women either with middle-range English language proficiency or who had immigrated to the US between the ages of 16-25; however, the relationship with BMI was more robust. Age standardized means for MVPA show that women who migrated at younger ages (\u3c16\u3eyears) had the lowest MVPA levels, followed by those migrating as younger adults (16-25 years), then adults (≥26 years). Similarly, women with lowest English proficiency levels had the lowest reported MVPA and those with highest English proficiency had highest reported MVPA. Conclusions: The relationship between acculturation and obesity and MVPA is multifaceted. While the relationship between MVPA and the two indicators of acculturation appear to be linear, the direction of association varied by acculturation indicator. Moreover, the association with acculturation indicators and measures of obesity was not linear. The findings from this study have implications in how researchers interpret the relationship between acculturation, obesity and obesity risk factors

Promotora-Led Programs: How Do Program Planners Conceptualize the Role of Promotoras and Select and Train Promotoras to Deliver and Sustain Obesity-Related Health Programs Among Hispanic Women?

Obesity-related diseases disproportionately affect Hispanic women. Successful health programs that prevent or control obesity-related diseases have used promotoras de salud to teach and model lifestyle behaviors aimed at reducing obesity. This study explored planners\u27 conceptualizations of promotoras\u27 roles and how they selected and trained promotoras to deliver and sustain community health programs for Hispanic women. Twenty-four program planners of promotora-led obesity-related programs were interviewed and asked for their promotora training materials. Interviews were transcribed, organized using ATLAS.ti software, and analyzed. A content analysis of seven promotora training curricula from 12 planners was performed to examine materials for content and readability. Participants\u27 past experiences and history working with promotoras influenced their expectations and the ways they conceptualized promotora roles, selection processes, training and educational needs, and sustainability. Whether or not promotoras were community volunteers or paid staff influenced recruitment and selection methods, which also differed across organizational contexts and environments. Participants used various promotora training materials and curricula that included communication and program-specific skill-enhancing activities. Participants had different perspectives on how to sustain health programs and about whom and/or what should be sustained at program completion. An interesting finding was how some program planners challenged the notion of sustainability by reframing it as promoting individual promotora well-being and social mobility rather than maintaining their role in the program over time. Funding was the most frequently mentioned challenge to program and promotora sustainability. Practical implications for program planners include the need for program-specific promotora job descriptions, accompanied by the requisite training. Depending on the program\u27s environment and context, it is important that health program planners create position parameters in order to facilitate training and support sustainability. Authors suggest planners create and periodically assess promotora recruitment and selection protocols to assist with selecting promotoras de salud who best fit program and community-specific needs. The development and dissemination of a sustainability plan with details about who and what to sustain and methods to ensure the plan is being followed throughout the program may benefit organizations, program planners, community partners, researchers, and promotoras

Rural Americans’ COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions and Willingness to Vaccinate against COVID-19 with Their Community Pharmacists: An Exploratory Study

In early 2022 in the U.S., rural adults were the least likely to vaccinate against COVID-19 due to vaccine hesitancy and reduced healthcare access. This study explored the factors influencing rural adults’ COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and their acceptance of pharmacist-administered vaccination. We utilized phone-based semi-structured interviews with 30 adults living in rural regions of one southwestern state and analyzed the data using a team-based thematic analysis approach. Vaccine-willing participants described knowing other people affected by the virus and their desired protection from the virus. They reported trusting scientific institutions and the government to provide safe vaccines. Vaccine-hesitant populations, however, feared that the COVID-19 vaccine development process had been rushed, compromising the safety of these newer vaccines. Although they differed in the news sources they preferred for receiving COVID-19 vaccine information, both vaccine-willing and vaccine-hesitant participants described trusting local authorities, such as healthcare providers and county government officials, to provide accurate COVID-19 vaccine information. Regarding the acceptability of pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccinations, all but one participant described their acceptance of this healthcare delivery approach. Future outreach should leverage rural adults’ trust in local sources, including community pharmacists, deemed more convenient access points to healthcare, when addressing vaccine hesitancy

Prostate Cancer Guidelines on Web 2.0-Based Sites: The Screening Dilemma Continues Online

Little is known about prostate cancer (PrCA) screening information on participatory, interactive, and consumer-generated websites collectively referred to as Web 2.0. A content analysis was conducted of PrCA resources on four highly trafficked Web 2.0 social bookmarking sites. A total of 127 webpages were analyzed. Most content was from news websites (48.9%) and blogs (37.8%). PrCA screening was mentioned on 95.3% of pages; only 30.7% discussed the prostate-specific antigen test. Less than half (43.8%) mentioned current screening guidelines. PrCA content is inconsistent on Web 2.0 sites. Future research should assess the readability and usability of Web 2.0 cancer resources

Preventing anal cancer: Qualitative study among foreign-born Hispanic HIV-Infected Gay and Bisexual Men

Background: This study explores foreign-born Hispanic HIV-infected gay and bisexual men's (GBM) anal cancer primary and secondary prevention understanding. These populations may be at greater risk for developing anal cancer given their reduced likelihood to engage and be sustained in HIV primary care. Methods: Between August 2015 and December 2016 researchers conducted 33 semi-structured in-depth interviews with foreign-born Hispanic HIV-infected Hispanic GBM. Interview questions sought to determine participants’ perceived barriers and facilitators to anal cancer primary and secondary prevention. Researchers analyzed interview transcripts using a qualitative content analysis approach. Results: For primary prevention, men reported lack of knowledge about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. However, for secondary prevention roughly 60% of participants had previously screened for anal dysplasia via anal Pap smear. Provider recommendation was the most common screening facilitator. Men reported stigma related to their HIV status, sexual orientation, and anal Pap smear procedures as barrier to HIV primary care retention and, in turn, anal cancer screening adherence. Participants reported willingness to use a self-screening anal Pap smear test if it were commercially available. Conclusions: Health providers continue to be the leading source of health information. Therefore, provider recommendation for HPV vaccination and anal cancer screening among age-eligible Hispanic HIV-infected GBM is critical. More work is needed to destigmatize HIV and sexual orientation to influence positive health behaviors among this population. Future intervention research could test the effects of provider-led interventions and also media campaigns aimed at influencing HPV vaccine uptake and anal cancer screening among this population

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Awareness Among HIV-Positive Gay and Bisexual Men: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: This study explores HIV-positive gay and bisexual men's (GBM) understanding of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccine. Methods: Researchers conducted 15 in-depth interviews with HIV-positive GBM between the ages of 18–30 years old. Results: Two participants had received a single dose of the HPV vaccine. Otherwise, the majority of participants had either never heard of the HPV vaccine or they perceived it as a resource for women only. Other commonly cited barriers to getting the vaccine included lack of provider recommendation to complete the vaccine series and vaccine costs. Conclusions: Future provider-driven interventions should focus on increasing HPV vaccine among age-eligible HIV-positive GBM

Video-based messages to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and nudge vaccination intentions

Vaccines are highly effective for curbing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Yet, millions of Americans remain hesitant about getting vaccinated, jeopardizing our ability to end the COVID-19 pandemic by fueling the spread and development of new variants. We show that brief video-based messages of encouragement addressing specific COVID-19 vaccine concerns increase vaccination intentions, and that vaccination intentions, in turn, are predictive of future vaccine uptake. Results from our online experiment reveal that willingness to get vaccinated is driven by messages that increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and perceived behavioral control to get vaccinated. Importantly, messages were particularly effective among more skeptical populations including people who identify as politically conservative or moderate and those who express low trust in government institutions. Our findings corroborate the real-world behavioral significance of vaccination intentions, and devise how even short, scalable online messages can provide governments and health authorities an inexpensive, yet effective tool for increasing intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19 among populations most reluctant to get them

College males’ behaviors, intentions, and influencing factors related to vaccinating against HPV

In the US, individuals between ages 18 and 26 have the highest incidence of new human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. HPV infection can cause genital warts, and persistent infection with cancerous strains can develop into multiple types of cancers. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that both men and women receive the vaccine. However, young adult men, including college-aged men, have been slow to initiate and complete the vaccine series. Our cross-sectional study, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, explores college men’s vaccination uptake and series completion behaviors and their intentions to vaccinate. Using logistic regression, we examined how students’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms impacted their HPV vaccine–related behaviors and intentions. Subjective norms, followed by perceived behavioral control to communicate with a provider about the HPV vaccine, had the largest impact on students’ HPV vaccine uptake and completion behaviors and intentions to vaccinate. Both subjective norms and positive attitudes about the vaccine impacted students’ intentions to vaccinate against HPV. Based on these findings, we make various recommendations including campus interventions and policies that could increase HPV vaccine uptake and completion behaviors among college men