Educating African American men about prostate cancer: the barbershop program

American Journal of Health Studies, Fall, 2004 by Luvenia W. Cowart, Betty Brown, Diana J. Biro

Council members discussed the importance of providing a culturally competent intervention. In particular, cultural concepts that must be considered when targeting African Americans include beliefs about health and illness, fears, questions regarding sexuality, distrust of the healthcare system, and the tendency to rely on folk treatments prior to entering into formal health care, together with a reliance on family, community and spiritual support. The setting was also critical. To be effective, the health education program needed to be delivered in a place where African American men frequently congregated and felt comfortable. Inner-city African American barbershops were suggested as an ideal location to access this population.

The program was to be administered by Council members Cowart (from the University) and Brown (from the healthcare community), both registered nurses and nurse educators with clinical experience. Both women are African American and have a strong background in health education, cultural competence, and prostate cancer care. Dr. Cowart, an assistant dean of her college, has extensive experience in leadership, healthcare and education administration, and program development. Ms. Brown has special expertise in oncology, a background in clinical instruction, and community leadership experience in health care. On behalf of the Council and Syracuse University, Cowart submitted a proposal for the Barbershop project to New York State's Office of Minority Health.

The specific objectives for the proposed project were outlined as follows:

* Promote public awareness of prostate cancer among African American men.

* Increase knowledge about prostate cancer screening (PSA test, digital rectal exam) and the importance of early detection programs.

* Provide information about the risk factors associated with prostate cancer.

* Formulate and evaluate clear, simple and concise educational messages for culturally competent and relevant literature about prostate cancer, and direct public service messages to diverse channels, primarily radio but also television and print media.

* Develop a public awareness campaign in collaboration with existing community activities, and customize programs for African Americans.

* Empower African American men in their relationships with their families and medical providers so that they are comfortable seeking health care, asking questions and making health-related decisions (e.g., provide appropriate referral information).

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

When this grant was awarded in 2000, administrative planning began. The six largest African American barbershops in Syracuse were identified as possible sites, and Ms. Brown, the project coordinator, made initial telephone contact with the owners, explaining the purpose and nature of the project. Dr. Cowart continued to direct the activities of the Council, soliciting members' participation and additional suggestions for implementation. Both women were involved in public relations and networking for the project. Cowart and Brown also began further refining the educational curricula they had developed for the proposal, with special attention to cultural relevance. They planned short, informal sessions with direct, to-the-point messages, and decided to use a short video on prostate cancer provided by an African American radiologist who is a Prostate Cancer Education Council member. This video was targeted specifically to African American men, and the physician had obtained it from a national black medical association.