Abstract
Advanced multimedia technologies can be used to tailor health messages, but promotores (lay health workers for Spanish speakers) rarely use these tools. Health messages intended to increase colorectal cancer screening among medically underserved Latinos in South Texas were delivered by promotores using a “usual practice” modality (flipchart and video) or a tailored, interactive modality via a computer. Using ethnographic methods, we observed promotor training and promotor delivery of the intervention, and conducted semi-structured, open-ended interviews with five promotores to assess the differences between the two technological modalities, and benefits and challenges of each. Findings reveal crosscutting benefits of the two modalities relating to cultural fit, as well as differing ways the two modalities acted as an aid or a burden to promotor/participant communication. This study makes significant contribution to the understudied area of combining the effective health promotion strategy of lay health workers with advanced multimedia technologies to increase cancer screening among Latinos.
Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B24.
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