The role of community health advisors in community-based participatory research.

Mistrust and fear of research often exist in minority communities because of assumptions, preconceived ideas, and historical abuse and racism that continue to influence research participation. The research establishment is full of well-meaning 'outsider' investigators who recognize discrimination, health disparities, and insufficient health care providers in minority communities, but struggle in breaking through this history of mistrust. This article provides ethical insights from one such 'insider-outsider', community-based participatory research project implemented via community health advisors in the Mississippi Delta.

The Deep South Network for cancer control. Building a community infrastructure to reduce cancer health disparities.

Given the recent advances in cancer treatment, cancer disparity between whites and African-Americans continues as an unacceptable health problem. African-Americans face a considerable disparity with regard to cancer incidence, survival, and mortality when compared with the majority white population. On the basis of prior research findings, the Deep South Network (DSN) chose to address cancer disparities by using the Community Health Advisor (CHA) model, the Empowerment Theory developed by Paulo Freire, and the Community Development Theory to build a community and coalition infrastructure.

Breast-feeding initiation in low-income women: Role of attitudes, support, and perceived control.

Despite the documented health and emotional benefits of breast-feeding to women and children, breast-feeding rates are low among subgroups of women. In this study, we examine factors associated with breast-feeding initiation in low-income women, including Theory of Planned Behavior measures of attitude, support, and perceived control, as well as sociodemographic characteristics. A mail survey, with telephone follow-up, of 733 postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries in Mississippi was conducted in 2000.

The community health advisor program and the deep South network for cancer control: health promotion programs for volunteer community health advisors.

The Community Health Advisor program is a proven, community-driven health promotion program that identifies and trains natural helpers who then seek to improve the health of individuals and their communities. This article details the basis of the Community Health Advisor model and describes early pilot programs in the Mississippi Delta. Also described is the formation of the Community Health Advisor Network, which provides technical assistance to Community Health Advisor programs and the proliferation of Community Health Advisor programs nationally.

The deep South network for cancer control: eliminating cancer disparities through community-academic collaboration.

African Americans have a substantially increased mortality rate compared to Whites in many cancers, including breast and cervix. The Deep South Network for Cancer Control (the Network) was established to develop sustainable community infrastructure to promote cancer awareness, enhance participation of African Americans and other special populations in clinical trials, recruit and train minority investigators, and develop and test innovative community-based cancer control measures to eliminate cancer mortality disparities in special populations. This article describes the steps necessary to form the network and the process and activities required to establish it as an effective infrastructure for eliminating disparities between Whites and African Americans in the United States.

Predictors of breastfeeding intention among low-income women.

Objective: Breastfeeding rates are below the Healthy People 2010 goals despite recognized benefits of breastfeeding. This study determined factors that predict breastfeeding initiation among low-income pregnant women.

Methods: A self-administered closed-ended questionnaire was introduced to 694 pregnant women who were certified for WIC in Mississippi.

Improving breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WIC clinic staff.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the impact of a breastfeeding promotion clinic environment project implemented by the state of Mississippi on breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WIC clinic staff.

Methods: Thirteen pairs of matched intervention and comparison WIC clinics participated in the study. Clinical and administrative staff completed pre-test and post-test self-administered questionnaires in 1998 and 1999.

An innovative video succeeds in addressing barriers to breastfeeding among low-income women.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an innovative breastfeeding promotion video intervention in addressing barriers to breastfeeding among low-income women in the state of Mississippi. The 15-minute video features a diverse group of women and their families. Survey data were collected from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children clients in the intervention group (n = 310) before and after watching the video, and from a comparison group (n = 204) that did not watch the video.