Using Focus Groups to Adapt Ethnically Appropriate, Information-Seeking and Recruitment Messages for a Prostate Cancer Screening Program for Men at High Risk

Purpose To adapt ethnically appropriate radio and newspaper messages in order to increase information-seeking and recruitment to the high-risk Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program (PRAP) using input from focus groups. Methods We conducted four gender- and ethnic specific-focus groups composed of up to eight participants each. Group participants ranged in age from 35–69 and were either at risk for prostate cancer or were married to someone at risk. Participants evaluated both print and radio advertisements for a PRAP media recruitment campaign, and their recommendations were used to adapt the advertisements. Results Trigger words, e.g., “research program,” were found to be a particular issue for African-American men who cited concerns about “experimentation,” while the other groups cited concerns about time commitments and cost. In the print messages, familial themes garnered an overall favorable response, but Caucasian-American participants responded negatively to the use of photos of age-appropriate models. Conclusion Focus groups are useful in checking health professional assumptions about health messages prior to developing awareness or recruitment advertisements or materials. There was an implied preference for “younger” models among Caucasian Americans. Radio and print messages were adapted using the focus group recommendations, i.e., focusing on familial themes, adding race-specific risk estimates and using younger-than-target group models.