Process and impact of a health communications program

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Abstract
Although the majority of cancers occur in older people, few cancer communications programs have been targeted at older adults. Here we discuss a communications research project aimed at improving older people's knowledge, attitudes and behavior practices regarding cancer. Church-affiliated senior citizens' clubs in a defined community surrounding the Fox Chase Cancer Center were randomized to receive either the experimental cancer program or a control program about physical fitness. A pre-test-post-test design was used for evaluation, with post-tests conducted by telephone 6 weeks and 6 months after the programs. Data were collected on both program process and impact as well as participants' demographic characteristics. Permission for further contact was related significantly (P ≤ 0.05) to a number of process variables. Six months after the programs, experimental subjects were significantly different from control subjects on several impact variables. Satisfaction with the program was related to cancer screening and self-surveillance behaviors reported on the sixth-week and sixth-month interviews.

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