Interventions to Educate An Underserved Population About Inherited Disease Risks

Study Summary

This study will examine how to communicate with an underserved population about inherited disease risks. It will present information about inherited risk to a Latino population through either a lay health advisor (LHA) or through printed information. The LHA is a member of the Latino community who has received training in public speaking, group facilitation, and managing group dynamics and in family health history and genetics. Previous studies have shown that an LHA can effectively communicate health information to diverse audiences, but such interventions have not been studied in the context of inherited risk. Spanish-speaking Latino men and women over the age of 18 in the Oakland, CA, and Washington, DC, areas who have basic Spanish reading and writing skills may be eligible for this study. Participants are recruited to one of two groups. One group participates in group educational sessions with an LHA about inherited disease risks and family health history, and the other receives this information from a brochure. Educational Sessions Groups of 5 to 8 individuals complete a questionnaire and then participate in a 45-minute educational session on concepts related to genetics, family health history, lifestyle and environment. Participants engage in role-playing to practice discussing family health history with family members. The LHA teaches participants the skills needed to fill in family health history tool called My Family Health Portrait and answers questions. After the question and answer session, participants complete a second questionnaire. Brochure-Only Participants complete a questionnaire and then read a Spanish-language brochure produced by the U.S. Surgeon General's Office about the importance of knowing one's family history. They then complete a second questionnaire.

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Education