Health care professionals are not always the first persons that people contact for health information (as Figure 1 below illustrates). For example, many African Americans seek information about health issues from family members, friends, and clergy. To design effective audiovisual materials that will reach the African-American community, it is necessary to determine existing communication paths.

Figure 1. Communication Path for Health Information

Knowledge of the communication path helps to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of African Americans. The following concepts should be researched:

Culturally defined social roles of African Americans and how these roles influence explanations of (biological, spiritual, sociological, and psychological) causes and symptoms of diseases. Cultural determinants (as opposed to economic factors) that influence the health-seeking behavior of African Americans. For example, myths about cancer that are embedded in the African-American culture influence the way that African Americans respond to cancer education messages.

The questions below will help obtain information on the health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of African Americans. This information is invaluable when designing culturally sensitive audiovisual cancer education materials.

What are some healing practices used by African Americans? How do African Americans identify themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, etc.? What do African Americans think causes (a particular) cancer? What do African Americans think (a particular) cancer does to a person? Do African Americans think cancer is curable or fatal? If they feel that cancer is curable, how long do they think it takes to cure a person? Who is suffering from (being affected by) the cancer illness? ...only the individual? ...the family? ...community? ...etc. How do African Americans describe or define health, wellness, symptoms, illness, and treatment? What are the traditional and religious beliefs of African Americans? How do these beliefs impact cancer prevention practices? Which mass medium is most preferred by African Americans to provide health information? How are social, gender, family, and individual roles defined in the African-American community? What are the general rules of social interaction among African Americans? How do social networks of African Americans influence behavior and health? Which institutions are largely influential in the "persona" of African- American communities? What impacts an African American's decision to seek health care or the decision to adopt cancer prevention practices? Where and from whom do African Americans seek health care? ...advice about cancer? What are the general knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of African Americans concerning cancer?