ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To measure beliefs about cancer causation, cancer screening behaviors, access to information about and resources for cancer screening, and interest in cancer genetics services in two underserved predominantly Latino communities. METHODS: An anonymous survey, in both English and Spanish, was distributed at the registration desk to all attendees of selected general medicine clinics in two underserved healthcare systems. RESULTS: There were a total of 312 respondents, representing 98% of eligible candidates. The reported data focus on 75.3% (n=235) of Latino respondents; mean age 43 years; 78% female; 72% less than high school education. Heredity was perceived as the most frequent cause of cancer, after smoking. Only 37% knew of free cancer screening programs. Over 85% expressed interest in obtaining information about personal cancer risk and motivation to participate in cancer genetics services. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey demonstrate an awareness of heredity as a potential cause of cancer. The observed high level of interest in cancer genetics services suggests the acceptability of cancer genetics services in this predominantly underserved Latino population. Furthermore, cancer genetics services would likely augment awareness and utilization of available cancer screening services in the community.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Mass Screening/statistics & numerical data , Medically Underserved Area , Neoplasms , Risk Assessment , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Community Health Centers , Community-Institutional Relations , Female , Health Education , Health Surveys , Hispanic or Latino/education , Humans , Information Dissemination , Los Angeles/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/etiology , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/psychology , Risk Factors , Vulnerable PopulationsABSTRACT
When an inner city Latino immigrant faith community in Los Angeles identified mental health care as an area of need, a community-research partnership was formed that resulted in the adaptation of an intervention for children who have trauma-related symptoms from violence exposure. This participatory research partnership includes St. Thomas the Apostle School and Church community; QueensCare Health and Faith Partnership, an organization that provides health services and outreach to faith communities; and mental health researchers from UCLA. During the planning phase of this project, parent focus groups were conducted, and an evidence-based intervention for traumatized students was adapted for this community. Focus group participants described significant concerns about community violence and multiple ways in which this ongoing violence has affected their children's functioning and child-parent relationships. The partnership has collaborated on each aspect of the research study, from design and adaptation, implementation, data analyses, and identification of areas for future research. This paper, a participatory process written in the words of the community and research partners, describes the experience of and challenges met by this partnership in adapting the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools program for use in this Catholic school.
Subject(s)
Community Participation , Cooperative Behavior , Religion , Stress, Psychological , Violence/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Community Mental Health Services , Focus Groups , Humans , Los Angeles , Parent-Child Relations , UniversitiesABSTRACT
This study surveyed attitudes toward mental health services and barriers to providing these services within the agencies of QueensCare Health and Faith Partnership, a network of faith-based organizations, and parish nurses who provided health care in a low-income, ethnically diverse area of Los Angeles. Representatives from 42 organizations responded. Informal counseling was the most frequently provided service (57 percent); yet only 19 percent reported that counselors had at least a moderate amount of training. Although 69 percent felt that referrals to nonreligious counselors were appropriate, 50 percent were reluctant to collaborate with government agencies. Barriers to providing mental health services included limited professional training, reluctance to partner with government programs, and financial and staffing limitations.
