scholarly journals Applying the integrated marketing communication approach to recruit and retain African American women

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 460-466
Author(s):  
Traci Hayes ◽  
Manoj Sharma
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Marketing Communication ◽  
Integrated Marketing ◽  
Integrated Marketing Communication ◽  
American Women

Background: Researchers use multiple approaches to engage and maintain underrepresented populations in research. They often overlook integrated marketing communication (IMC), a useful approach for commercial marketing, for more established health promotion and social marketing techniques. There is limited information on the application of the IMC approach for recruiting and retaining African American study participants. This article explores the IMC approach used to recruit and retain volunteers for a community-based intervention. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study relying on extracted data from the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Physical Activity intervention. A brief multiple-choice survey was administered to a sample of African American women (n=74) to assess the effectiveness of applying an IMC approach for recruiting and retaining volunteers for the multi-week program during January - June 2018. The measures were (1) source for study information, (2) preferred method of contact, (3) primary source for health information. Results: Sixty-nine women listed their doctor as the primary source of health information and five women in the age group 18-34 identified social media (n=3) and websites (n=2). Age is significantly related to the preference of communication tools used to recruit and retain the African American participants. A statistical significance (P=0.025) suggests for women ages 51-69, a combination of radio, church, and word of mouth was more effective for recruitment. The older women preferred telephone calls compared to the women ages 18-50 who relied on texting. Conclusion: IMC can synergize individual communication elements in a coordinated manner to address niche audiences and develop cost-effective health communications programs that can improve recruitment and retention efforts in minority populations.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Facebook and Twitter as sources of health information among African-American women

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Casey Adams Jones
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
African American ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Black Women ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
American Women ◽  
Sources Of Health Information

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how African-American women perceive Facebook and Twitter as sources for information about heart disease. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among 23 women between the ages of 18 and 70, who self-identified as Black and female. Participants were recruited from both urban and rural cities. Data collected during each 60-minute or less focus group session was analyzed and grouped into key themes. Results: Among the Black women who participated in the research, findings indicated that Facebook and Twitter are perceived as credible sources of health information if the material shared comes from a health care professional or organization, or a friend speaking from a personal health experience. Credibility increased if information was presented by a person of color–particularly of the same race. Knowledge gained via social media was largely deemed to be the 05 board for further research via a tool or website that is established within the health care industry. Participants also expounded upon the importance of one advocating for themselves in the doctor's office and fact checking health information and professionals. Conclusion: Health professionals may be able to more effectively communicate health information to Black women via Facebook and Twitter. Recommendations such as establishing credibility and using women of color in visuals are made that may assist in prompting health behavior changes. Key words: Women, African American, health information seeking, social media, heart disease

Health Portals and Menu-Driven Identities

2011 ◽  
pp. 1549-1557
Author(s):  
Lynette Kvasny
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
African Americans ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
American Women ◽  
The Government ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Cultural Inclusiveness

In this article, we make a case for research which examines the cultural inclusiveness and salience of health portals. We make our case from the standpoint of African-American women. While healthcare should be a ubiquitous social good, health disparities exist among various demographic groups. In fact, health disparities have been placed on the U.S. disease prevention and health promotion agenda. Healthy People 2010 is an initiative sponsored by policy makers, researchers, medical centers, managed care organizations, and advocacy groups across the country. Although there is no consensus regarding what a health disparity is, sponsors agree that “racial and ethnic minorities experience multiple barriers to accessing healthcare, including not having health insurance, not having a usual source of care, location of providers, lack of transportation, lack of child care, and other factors. A growing body of evidence shows that racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes, healthcare access, and quality of care exist even when insurance, income, and other access-related factors are controlled.”1 In addition to healthcare, African American women have less access to the internet. Even at equivalent income levels, African Americans are less likely than either whites or English speaking Hispanics to go online. Demographically, the composition of populations not online has not changed dramatically since 2000. Overall, 60% of the total U.S. population is online with African Americans making up 11% of the total U.S. population, 8% of the online population, and 14% of the offline population. However, when looking at those who are offline, African Americans are more likely than offline whites or Hispanics to believe that they will eventually go online (Lenhart, 2003). Although online health information is available from multiple sources, we focus solely on those health portals sponsored by the U.S. government. We made this choice based upon some early interviews with physicians and managers at a healthcare facility which serves predominantly African American clients. We learned that most clients exhibited a low degree of trust in information provided by pharmaceutical companies and other sources which seemed too commercial. Instead, clients searched for information from recognizable sources, and tended to use portals and search pages like Yahoo and Google. We found that portals sponsored by U.S. government agencies were received positively by clients. Also, portals like healthfinder.gov and cdc.gov are highly regarded by the Medical Library Association2 . Moreover, the government is entrusted to uphold values of democracy and social justice therefore the health information that they provide should be accessible to a demographically diverse audience. To gain insights into the cultural inclusiveness and salience of health portals, we use Nakumura’s notion of menu-driven identities. For Nakumara (2002), the internet is a discursive place in which identity is enacted. She uses the term “menudriven identities” to signify the ways in which content providers represent identities through the design of the interface and the personalization of content, and users perform their identity as they engage with the content. In what follows, we discuss health disparities and the promise of the internet in redressing inequities. Next, we further explain the ways in which users perform identity and health portals represent identities. We do this by theorizing about the health portals as mediating two-way communication between users and information providers. We conclude with directions for future research.

Health Portals and Menu-Driven Identities

2011 ◽  
pp. 745-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette Kvasny ◽  
Jennifer Warren
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
African Americans ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
American Women ◽  
The Government ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Cultural Inclusiveness

In this article, we make a case for research which examines the cultural inclusiveness and salience of health portals. We make our case from the standpoint of African-American women. While healthcare should be a ubiquitous social good, health disparities exist among various demographic groups. In fact, health disparities have been placed on the U.S. disease prevention and health promotion agenda. Healthy People 2010 is an initiative sponsored by policy makers, researchers, medical centers, managed care organizations, and advocacy groups across the country. Although there is no consensus regarding what a health disparity is, sponsors agree that “racial and ethnic minorities experience multiple barriers to accessing healthcare, including not having health insurance, not having a usual source of care, location of providers, lack of transportation, lack of child care, and other factors. A growing body of evidence shows that racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes, healthcare access, and quality of care exist even when insurance, income, and other access-related factors are controlled.”1 In addition to healthcare, African American women have less access to the internet. Even at equivalent income levels, African Americans are less likely than either whites or English speaking Hispanics to go online. Demographically, the composition of populations not online has not changed dramatically since 2000. Overall, 60% of the total U.S. population is online with African Americans making up 11% of the total U.S. population, 8% of the online population, and 14% of the offline population. However, when looking at those who are offline, African Americans are more likely than offline whites or Hispanics to believe that they will eventually go online (Lenhart, 2003). Although online health information is available from multiple sources, we focus solely on those health portals sponsored by the U.S. government. We made this choice based upon some early interviews with physicians and managers at a healthcare facility which serves predominantly African American clients. We learned that most clients exhibited a low degree of trust in information provided by pharmaceutical companies and other sources which seemed too commercial. Instead, clients searched for information from recognizable sources, and tended to use portals and search pages like Yahoo and Google. We found that portals sponsored by U.S. government agencies were received positively by clients. Also, portals like healthfinder.gov and cdc.gov are highly regarded by the Medical Library Association2. Moreover, the government is entrusted to uphold values of democracy and social justice therefore the health information that they provide should be accessible to a demographically diverse audience. To gain insights into the cultural inclusiveness and salience of health portals, we use Nakumura’s notion of menu-driven identities. For Nakumara (2002), the internet is a discursive place in which identity is enacted. She uses the term “menu-driven identities” to signify the ways in which content providers represent identities through the design of the interface and the personalization of content, and users perform their identity as they engage with the content. In what follows, we discuss health disparities and the promise of the internet in redressing inequities. Next, we further explain the ways in which users perform identity and health portals represent identities. We do this by theorizing about the health portals as mediating two-way communication between users and information providers. We conclude with directions for future research.

scholarly journals Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a Better Life: A Church-Based Physical Activity Intervention - Baseline Participant Characteristics

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melicia C. Whitt-Glover ◽  
Moses V. Goldmon ◽  
Ziya Gizlice ◽  
Daniel P. Heil ◽  
Njeri Karanja
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Baseline Data ◽  
Control Group ◽  
American Women ◽  
Life Study

<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for health, yet most African American women do not achieve recommended levels. Successful, sustainable strategies could help to address disparities in health outcomes associated with low levels of PA. The Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a Better Life study compared a faith-based and a secular intervention for increasing PA with a selfguided control group. </p><p><strong>Design Setting Participants: </strong>This cluster randomized, controlled trial was conducted from 2010 – 2011 in African American churches (n=31) in suburban North Carolina. Participants were 469 self-identified low active African American women. </p><p><strong>Measures: </strong>Baseline data were collected on participant demographics, objective and self-reported PA, and constructs related to social ecological theory and social cognitive theory. </p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Complete baseline data were available for 417 participants who were aged 51.4 ± 12.9 years, with average BMI (kg/ m2) 35.8 ± 9.9; 73% of participants were obese (BMI &gt;30). Participants averaged 3,990 ± 1,828 pedometer-assessed daily steps and 23.9 ± 37.7 accelerometer-assessed minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA, and self-reported 25.4 ± 45.4 minutes of weekly walking and moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA. Baseline self-reported religiosity and social support were high. </p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>L.A.D.I.E.S. is one of the largest PA trials focused on individual behavior change in African American women. Baseline characteristics suggest participants are representative of the general population. Findings from the study will contribute toward understanding appropriate strategies for increasing PA in high-risk populations.</p><p><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2017;27(3):257-264; doi:10.18865/ed.27.3.257 </p>

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