Developing Culturally Tailored Health Belief-Based Intervention Materials to Improve Child and Parent Participation in a Cardiovascular Screening Program

Abstract

The Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities Project was developed to reduce children’s future cardiovascular risk by implementing a school-based screening program statewide. Despite the elimination of environmental barriers related to screening cost and accessibility, only half of eligible children participate in the program each year. The authors used the theory of planned behavior to identify health beliefs associated with screening participation. This article describes the process used to identify community health beliefs and the development of theoretically based materials to increase participation. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to identify core health beliefs held by parents, community leaders, and children (Phase I). Data obtained were used to expand and revise a Health Beliefs Questionnaire, which was distributed to larger samples (Phase II). This information was used to design recruitment materials that emphasized the benefits of screening while directly addressing potential belief-based barriers to screening participation (Phase III).