A replicable process for redesigning ethnically relevant educational materials.

Background: To serve the populations targeted by Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) effectively, healthcare providers need educational materials that are evidence based and ethnically relevant and can be easily incorporated into busy clinic settings. We describe a replicable process used to redesign and tailor physical activity and diet education materials for African American women in the southeastern United States.

Methods: The process consists of seven phases. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used on data gathered in 2000 from two expert panels and eight focus groups.

Results: Expert panelists preferred materials perceived to be high quality, easy to understand, organized to facilitate use by healthcare providers, and with content relevant to African American women. Focus group participants were mostly concerned with the visual appeal and content of educational materials. They liked high-quality materials that are brief; avoid jargon and use simple language, bright colors, and photographs; and provide useful information that acknowledges the context of their lives, including their family roles.

Conclusions: The redesign process can produce ethnically and culturally appropriate educational materials for use by WISEWOMAN providers and other healthcare providers in conjunction with cardiovascular (CVD) risk reduction and behavioral counseling. To be effective, materials must address the needs and concerns of both providers and patients.