DEVELOPING A HEALTH INFORMATION AND PROMOTION SERVICE

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A HEALTH INFORMATION AND PROMOTION SERVICE FOCUSING ON INCREASING THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BLACK POPULATION ABOUT CANCER, AND MODIFYING BEHAVIOR TO DECREASE ITS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH INCIDENCE. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE: 1. DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF BLACK ORGANIZATIONS SERVING AS VEHICLES FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS INITIATIVE; 2. ASCERTAINING CORPORATE, FOUNDATION AND LABOR UNION INTEREST IN PURCHASING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR THE TARGET POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED; 3. DELINEATING PROMOTIONAL AND MARKETING MATERIALS AND APPROACHES LIKELY TO BE EFFECTIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE AT HIGHEST RISK; AND 4. DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE SERVICE BECOMING A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE BUSINESS. EXISTING INFORMATION CONCERNING BLACK PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CANCER WILL BE ANALYZED, AND STRUCTURED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH 100 ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS. PHASE I FINDINGS WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO: (A) REQUIREMENTS FOR MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT; (B) THE POTENTIAL UTILITY OF STATE-OF-THE-ART MARKETING APPROACHES; AND (C) THE FEASIBILITY OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES PROJECTED. THESE FINDINGS, THEREFORE, WILL SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR PHASE II, WHICH ENTAILS EXPANDED MARKET RESEARCH, FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY, AND PRODUCT AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT. ESTABLISHING AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH STATUS OF BLACKS REPRESENTS A MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.