Table 1.
Elements of learner verification assessed in study brochure
| Elements of Learner Verification assessed | Questions from interview guide | Sample summary statements of participant responses (n = 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Attraction (Does the material appeal to the target audience?) | What about the appearance of this brochure intrigued you? | Colors were attention getting, related to the stories, the topics discussed were explained and to the point, everyone could read (participant K) |
| Personal stories, inviting (participant C) | ||
| Face of woman on front makes you curious (participant I) | ||
| If you were sent this brochure in the mail, would you want to read it to find out more about breast cancer? | No, she looks sad, not happy, need to show the whole face of a survivor, thriving and has spirit (participant L) | |
| No, she is sitting there looking and not doing anything, does relates to other pictures (participant H) | ||
| Comprehension (Does the target audience understand the material?) | Tell me in your own words what you think the purpose of this brochure is? | Alert women to availability of BRCA1/2 testing and family history (participant D) |
| Did this brochure help you to understand the purpose of genetic testing? | To inform general overview of the statistics with African American women with breast cancer, what's available to them, what they can do about it. Also to inform of the impact that this disease is having on women of color and informational bout a study that is uncovering why this happens and why the incidence is so high (participant I) | |
| Are there any risks in your family that would make you want to have genetic testing? | ||
| Self-efficacy (Does the target audience feel the message is doable for them?) | After reading this brochure, would you want to participate in this study? (probes: If you wanted to participate would you be able to?) | Show and educate that there is a possibility of genetic testing, where limited education is available (participant F) |
| Did this brochure help you to understand why genetic testing is important to African American women with breast cancer? | To get AA women to be proactive in their breast care and know if they have risk factors (participant L) | |
| Cultural acceptability (Does the target audience perceive the message to be salient and acceptable?) | How do feel about the phrase “Women of Color”? (probes: Do you think most African American women would feel the same way?; Do you think there is another term that African American women identify with?) | Women of Color is ok but prefer Black. Politically correct would be African American (participant G) |
| Is there anything in this brochure that makes you feel uncomfortable about genetic testing? | [The term women of color] Pertains to more than just AA women, not offended by it, believe Women of Color is better than AA (participant J) | |
| Do you relate to any of the women in this brochure? | Phrase encompasses too many people, pictures help identify African American women, keep women of color it is not offensive (participant H) | |
| Persuasion (does the message convince the target audience to take action?) | If you received this brochure in the mail, would you want to have a genetic test for BRCA? | Call to action for women specified, possibility of genetic testing and breast cancer link (participant G) |
| Do you think your family and friends might have genetic counseling/testing if they received this brochure? | To encourage breast cancer patients to participant in studies for Women of Color (participant M) | |
| Get people to sign up for genetic testing and to get additional information about the results (participant H) | ||