Telephone Surveys Underestimate Cigarette Smoking among African-Americans

Background: This study tested the hypothesis that data from random digit-dial telephone surveys underestimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking among African-American adults. Method: A novel, community-sampling method was used to obtain a statewide, random sample of N = 2118 California (CA) African-American/Black adults, surveyed door-to-door. This Black community sample was compared to the Blacks in the CA Health Interview Survey (N = 2315), a statewide, random digit-dial telephone survey conducted simultaneously. Results: Smoking prevalence was significantly higher among community (33%) than among telephone survey (19%) Blacks, even after controlling for sample differences in demographics. Conclusion: Telephone surveys underestimate smoking among African-Americans and probably underestimate other health risk behaviors as well. Alternative methods are needed to obtain accurate data on African-American health behaviors and on the magnitude of racial disparities in them

Prevalence and predictors of alcohol consumption among African American adults : community-based participatory research approach

Random Digit Dial Telephone Surveys (RDDTSs) are often used in public health and psychology research. Data from such surveys suggest that alcohol consumption rates are similar for African American (AA) and Caucasian adults in California (CA). While these finding are reliable, their validity is questionable because of the methodological problems present in RDDTS. Data collected from RDDTS are gathered from non-representative samples of higher SES landline phone owners and AA women residents of integrated neighborhoods. Thus, the validity of findings from RDDTS data is questionable. The purpose of the current study was to overcome the methodological problems that are inherent in RDDTS by examining the prevalence of binge drinking in a random, statewide sample of 2,190 CA AA adults, using a community-based participatory research approach, and to examine possible sociocultural variables that may contribute to alcohol use. Participants were 54% female, 46% male AAs, with ages ranging from 18 to 95. The results suggested that the current Community-Based Sample (CBS) was more representative of the CA AA population than CA RDDTS samples. Specifically, it was more diverse in age, was younger, and had a larger percentage of AA men and low -income adults. In addition, the current community-based sample reported engaging in significantly more binge drinking behavior than AA and Caucasian CA RDDTS samples, and that binge drinking was even more prevalent among African Americans who lacked landline telephones. Finally, multilevel statistical modeling revealed that neighborhood SES was a significant predictor of binge drinking, but neighborhood segregation was not. Cross-level interactions between measures of individual-level SES and neighborhood SES and individual SES and segregation were not significant. Moreover, social (e.g., racial discrimination, neighborhood dangerousness) and cultural (e.g., acculturation) factors did not significantly predict binge drinking behavior. Findings from the current study suggest that using a community-based participatory research approach may circumvent some of the methodological problems inherent in RDDTS and result higher quality alcohol behavior dat

Prevalence and predictors of alcohol consumption among African American adults : community-based participatory research approach

Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-55)Random Digit Dial Telephone Surveys (RDDTSs) are often used in public health and psychology research. Data from such surveys suggest that alcohol consumption rates are similar for African American (AA) and Caucasian adults in California (CA). While these finding are reliable, their validity is questionable because of the methodological problems present in RDDTS. Data collected from RDDTS are gathered from non-representative samples of higher SES landline phone owners and AA women residents of integrated neighborhoods. Thus, the validity of findings from RDDTS data is questionable. The purpose of the current study was to overcome the methodological problems that are inherent in RDDTS by examining the prevalence of binge drinking in a random, statewide sample of 2,190 CA AA adults, using a community-based participatory research approach, and to examine possible sociocultural variables that may contribute to alcohol use. Participants were 54% female, 46% male AAs, with ages ranging from 18 to 95. The results suggested that the current Community-Based Sample (CBS) was more representative of the CA AA population than CA RDDTS samples. Specifically, it was more diverse in age, was younger, and had a larger percentage of AA men and low-income adults. In addition, the current community-based sample reported engaging in significantly more binge drinking behavior than AA and Caucasian CA RDDTS samples, and that binge drinking was even more prevalent among African Americans who lacked landline telephones. Finally, multilevel statistical modeling revealed that neighborhood SES was a significant predictor of binge drinking, but neighborhood segregation was not. Cross-level interactions between measures of individual-level SES and neighborhood SES and individual SES and segregation were not significant. Moreover, social (e.g., racial discrimination, neighborhood dangerousness) and cultural (e.g., acculturation) factors did not significantly predict binge drinking behavior. Findings from the current study suggest that using a community-based participatory research approach may circumvent some of the methodological problems inherent in RDDTS and result higher quality alcohol behavior dat

Intervention-mediated effects for adult physical activity: A latent growth curve analysis

Data from two randomized clinical trials (RCT) were used to examine the extent to which a health promotion intervention affected changes in growth trajectories of psychosocial constructs and if so, whether these constructs in turn explained changes in physical activity (PA). PA and psychosocial measures on 842 overweight adults in the United States were collected in two RCTs evaluating Internet-based behavior change interventions with assessments at baseline, 6 and 12 months. A physical activity latent variable at 12 months was created using indicators of self-reported walking and leisure time activities. Intervention-mediated effects on PA at 12 months were found via latent growth curves representing self-efficacy and behavioral strategies, where increasing growth curves across time were associated with higher PA values at 12 months. These findings provide some evidence that web-based self-help intervention programs worked through targeted behavior change constructs to influence physical activity levels in overweight adults.Physical activity Randomized clinical trial Latent growth curve Adult USA Interventions Internet