Outreach for Young Adult African Americans with Risk Factors for Stroke.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Stroke Prevention

Background:

• Younger adult African Americans (18-35 years) face more than double the stroke risk compared to White individuals.
• There is a significant gap in stroke risk education and culturally relevant materials for this demographic.
• Limited research exists on developing and testing health-literate materials tailored to young African Americans' understanding of stroke risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors crucial for creating and distributing plain language health messages on stroke risk awareness.
• To guide the development of effective communication strategies for young African American adults regarding stroke risk.
• To address the need for targeted health education in a high-risk population.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 413 African American participants aged 18 and older.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and two-step cluster analysis to assess stroke risk awareness and information-seeking behaviors.
• Open-ended questions explored participants' perceived reasons for stroke risk, including modifiable and non-modifiable factors.

Main Results:

• Participants with very low/low perceived stroke risk demonstrated significantly lower overall stroke risk factor awareness.
• Family history was cited as a key risk factor by both low and high perceived risk groups.
• A significant portion of younger participants attributed their low perceived risk to their age, neglecting other factors.
• The largest cluster identified medical sources as the most trusted for health information, preferring positive, long-term, and informational messages.

Conclusions:

• Young adult African Americans exhibit a limited understanding of modifiable stroke risk factors.
• Health education materials should emphasize positive, long-term outcomes and be delivered by medical authorities.
• Message design should focus on clear, informational content, as age and sex did not appear to necessitate different modalities.