Over 30 percent of southeastern North Carolina (NC) residents are African Americans. In NC this ethnic group has higher mortality rates, compared with whites, from cancer. This paper reports on a pilot study within a larger 5 year multi-site and interdisciplinary team health disparities grant funded by National Cancer Institute. The goal of the parent study was to increase accrual of African-American cancer patients to radiation therapy group clinical trials, to understand barriers to cancer clinical trials, and to design culturally sensitive mechanisms that would increase the number of African Americans seeking screening for cancer and participating in cancer clinical trials.

The purpose of the pilot study was to examine the influence of cognitive and psychosocial factors, namely, cancer beliefs, religious beliefs, trust of providers, and predicted quality of life, on the decision of African Americans to seek screening and cancer treatment.

The descriptive correlational study was conducted in southeastern United States that is often called the “Bible Belt”. Subjects included 95 African Americans and 112 Caucasians recruited by the snowball technique in outpatient clinics, in rural settings, and communities agency. The instruments used this for analysis in this paper includes a demographic survey, the Belief in a Higher Being Subscale, religious activity, and cancer beliefs scale. Preliminary analysis reveals significant differences in race (p<0.00), gender and activity in religion (p<0.009) in relationships to belief in a higher being in healing and gender and race (p<.025). Analysis of the relationships between cancer beliefs and belief in a higher being will also be reported.

Findings of this study may assist health professionals to better understand the barriers of African Americans taking part in cancer clinical trials and to design culturally appropriate programs that improve participation in cancer screenings and treatments and reduce the incidence of cancer among African Americans.