Developing an Oropharyngeal Cancer (OPC) Knowledge and Behaviors Survey

OBJECTIVES: To use the community participation research model to (1) develop a survey assessing knowledge about mouth and throat cancer and (2) field test and establish test-retest reliability with newly developed instrument. METHODS: Cognitive interviews with primarily rural African American adults to assess their perception and interpretation of survey items. Test-retest reliability was established with a racially diverse rural population. RESULTS: Test-retest reliabilities ranged from .79 to .40 for screening awareness and .74 to .19 for knowledge. Coefficients increased for composite scores. CONCLUSION: Community participation methodology provided a culturally appropriate survey instrument that demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability.