| Cancer and death from cancer are more common among lower income and non-white Americans. Poverty, lack of early testing and early diagnosis for cancer, high fat diets, and other culturally related reasons contribute to cancer deaths. Although most of the target group believe that early diagnosis of disease will lead to a possible cure, it appears that greater understanding of the relationship between lifestyle and cancer is needed. The project team will work with volunteers from five African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Churches in Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, and Jasper Counties to develop, implement, and evaluate a culturally sensitive approach to increase cancer testing (screening), change dietary habits, and increase physical activity among church members and medically underserved South Carolinians. A scripturally based health message manual will be written for use by churches and individuals. Project evaluations will help fine-tune the program and assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, practices, beliefs, and behaviors related to cancer and diet. Diets of the control group that receive traditional health messages will be compared with diets of the intervention group that receive all project services. After the first year, results from the evaluation will be used to modify continuing public education messages, and the program will be made available to all AME churches in South Carolina. |
