Discussing Cancer: Communication With African Americans

Regular screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) facilitates earlier detection, lowers mortality, and may reduce incidence through detection and removal of pre-cancerous polyps. Optimizing health professional delivery of CRC screening information and recommendations can assist in reducing CRC disparity in the African-American community. This article presents qualitative data on African Americans' attitudes about health professional CRC communications based on the analysis of focus groups (N = 79). Using a social-ecological framework, colorectal cancer and professional communication themes are examined to offer four general and nine cancer-specific theoretically based and culturally appropriate strategies for improving health professional cancer communication with African Americans.