Tailored messages to increase eye examination behavior

描述(申请人提供)：青光眼是非裔美国人不可逆转失明的主要原因，与白人相比，非裔美国人的患病率更高。目前的指南建议40岁以上的非裔美国人每两年进行一次扩张性眼底检查(DFE)，患有青光眼风险增加的糖尿病患者应该每年进行一次DFES。然而，研究表明，人们并没有根据推荐的指南获得DFES。目前的计算机技术已经使生成定制消息成为可能，这些消息是基于每个人的独特特征的个性化消息。尽管量身定制的健康信息已经被证明会影响各种与健康相关的行为，但这种健康沟通策略还没有被应用到眼科检查行为中。事实上，很少有研究研究通过干预来增加眼科检查行为。鉴于青光眼是无症状的，如果不治疗会产生严重的后果，而且有预防或阻止疾病进展的治疗方法，开发干预措施以增加按建议时间表获得DFES的人的比例可能会对人们与视力相关的生活质量和与健康相关的总体生活质量产生重大影响。因此，这个项目的目的是设计、实施和评估定制印刷健康信息与有针对性的印刷信息相比的有效性，以增加城市老年非裔美国人的眼睛检查行为。从健康信念模型、变化阶段模型和较新的预防措施采用过程模型构建，将指导该项目。在形成阶段，将进行重点小组，并将编制评估问卷和量身定做的印刷信息。在干预阶段，65岁及以上的非洲裔美国人将从各种社区环境中招募，并随机接受定制的健康信息或有针对性的信息。参与者将完成一份自我管理的评估问卷，被邮寄定制或有针对性的打印健康信息，并在干预后三个月和六个月收到跟踪电话，以收集有关眼睛检查行为的信息。评价阶段将包括过程和结果评价。这项建议解决了研究的必要性，以评估定制的印刷通信，以增加青光眼风险较高的少数群体的眼睛检查行为。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Glaucoma is the major cause of irreversible blindness among African-Americans, with a higher prevalence among African-Americans compared to whites. Current guidelines recommend that African-Americans over the age of 40 have a dilated fundus examination (DFE) every two years, and diabetics, who are at an increased risk of glaucoma, should have annual DFEs. However, research indicates that people are not getting DFEs according to recommended guidelines. Current computer technology has made it possible to generate tailored messages, which are individualized messages based on each person's unique characteristics. Although tailored health messages have been shown to influence various health-related behaviors, this health communication strategy has not been applied to eye examination behavior. In fact, there has been little research examining interventions to increase eye examination behavior. Given that glaucoma is asymptomatic, has serious consequences if untreated, and has treatments available to prevent or stop the progression of disease, developing interventions to increase the proportion of people who get DFEs at the recommended schedule can have a major impact on people's vision-related and general health-related quality of life. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to design, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of tailored print health messages compared to targeted print messages to increase eye examination behavior in an urban, older African-American population. Constructs from the Health Belief Model, Stages of Change Model, and newer Precaution Adoption Process Model, will guide the project. During the formative phase, focus groups will be conducted, and an assessment questionnaire and tailored print messages will be developed. For the intervention phase, African-Americans 65 years of age and older will be recruited from various community settings and randomized to receive either tailored health messages or targeted messages. Participants will complete a self-administered assessment questionnaire, be mailed tailored or targeted print health messages, and receive follow-up telephone calls at three and six months post-intervention to collect information about eye examination behavior. The evaluation phase will include process and outcome evaluation. This proposal addresses the need for research to assess tailored print communications to increase eye examination behavior in a minority population at increased risk for glaucoma.