STRATEGIES FOR REACHING ASIAN-AMERICANS WITH HEALTH INFORMATION

Introduction: Cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers place many A sian Americans in jeopardy of missing opportunities for disease preven tion, early diagnosis, prompt treatment, and participation in clinical trials. One way to learn how to address these barrier-a is through th e development of a demonstration health education and prevention progr am focused on an indicator disease such as cancer. Methods: In 1994, t ile University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Cancer Center began a h ighly focused cancer education program, Staffing was done with a varie ty of bicultural and bilingual undergraduates recruited from local col leges and trained to work as community health educators. Asian grocery stores were selected as optimal educational sites. Adaptation of shel tered English teaching techniques and hands-on teaching aids helped to overcome language and educational barriers. The educational intervent ion was evaluated using unobtrusive measures. Results: With the volunt eers' help, culturally sensitive means to disseminate information on c ancer were evaluated. A variety of approaches evolved that effectively bridged many communication barriers. Fear of cancer itself, belief th at thinking about cancer could provoke the onset of the disease, and f inancial barriers to care proved to be just as formidable barriers to cancer education in this ethnic group as they are in others. Using stu dent volunteers and donated store space, this educational program was conducted with minimal expense. Conclusion: Reaching this population w ith the help of ethnically and linguistically compatible students was effective, but the barriers they faced when trying to connect with the ir potential audience were still considerable. Rigorous evaluation of the strategies used in this intervention is warranted.