Developing a Tailored Website for Promoting Awareness about Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Among Blacks in Community-Based Settings

Health Commun. 2019 May;34(5):567-575. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1423865. Epub 2018 Jan 17.

Abstract

Blacks are at greater risk for lower sleep quality and higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than other racial groups. In this study, we summarize the development of a tailored website including visuals, key messages, and video narratives, to promote awareness about sleep apnea among community-dwelling blacks. We utilized mixed methods, including in-depth interviews, usability-testing procedures, and brief surveys (n = 9, 55% female, 100% black, average age 38.5 years). Themes from the qualitative analysis illuminated varied knowledge regarding OSA symptoms and prevalent self-reported experience with sleep disturbance and OSA symptoms (e.g., snoring). On a scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very high), participants provided favorable ratings of website usefulness (mean = 4.9), user friendliness (mean = 4.9) and attractiveness (mean = 4.3). Our findings suggest although tailored health communication has potential for serving as a tool for advancing health equity, usability-testing of health materials is critical to ensure that culturally and linguistically tailored messages are acceptable and actionable in the intended population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Awareness*
  • Black or African American*
  • Female
  • Health Promotion*
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Qualitative Research
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* / epidemiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires