Volunteers are needed in the Virgin Islands to participate in a research study looking at the health status of African American and Afro Caribbean women and at their access to health care services.

The study, which seeks to involve 200 women in the territory, is being conducted by the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center in the Division of Nursing at the University of the Virgin Islands. It is being run concurrently with a similar study in Cleveland, Ohio, in cooperation with Case Western Reserve University.

The dual studies are designed to compile reliable data about individuals in the target group with an ultimate goal of reducing health disparities among these women.

Research participants will initially have one-hour, face-to-face interviews with a nurse researcher. Some participants will be randomly selected for inclusion in two-hour, focus group sessions. Interested African American and Afro Caribbean women who are 40 or older and residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands are asked to call 693-1212 for details.

UVI's Caribbean Exploratory Research Center is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.