Implementing Community-Based participatory research to Reduce Health and Tech Disparities among low Income African Women

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New approaches are needed to engage stakeholders in developing and sustaining effective interventions for health behavior change, especially within low-income and underserved communities. The variables associated with decision making for health related behavior change will have a major impact on health care costs and quality of life. This project has the potential to decrease health care costs and improve the quality of life for low-income African Americans. In this NSF-funded project, Drs. Srivastava, Walker, Krichmar, and Anyiwo seek to identify cost-effective strategies and interventions for decreasing health disparities and increasing the use of health promoting lifestyles among low-income African Americans using online health information and support. The objectives of this community-based health support project are to identify barriers to behavior change, factors involved in decision making regarding behavior change, and variables that support individuals in their decision to change their health behavior. Using community-based participatory design strategies, the project will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally relevant online health informatics and social support activities, adapted and/or designed by community members. The primary problem for low-income communities is a total lack of practical and relevant online resources that address their education and income levels, cultural practices, and heritages. The project seeks to expand the uses of online health information and support to groups that are not currently making use of them and to share this model with others seeking to impact the health status, and associated health care costs, of low-income and underserved communities. Based on the findings related to decision making for behavior change, an interdisciplinary research team will implement an exploratory research study to develop online health informatics and social support systems targeted to meet the needs of low income African-Americans seeking to change their health related behavior.