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Abstract #152250

• Handout (free access)

Myrtha Barbara Forges, MD, MPH, Robin Lewy, MA, BFA, and Francine Ricardo, BA. Rural Women's Health Project, P.O. Box 12016, Gainesville, FL 32604, (352) 372-1095, barbara_etienne@hotmail.com

Creando Nuestra Salud [Creating our health] was a one-year project that surveyed Hispanic women to gather their views on breast cancer. From the findings, a campaign was created, including the development of original materials with input from the community. This project highlights the involvement of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the research, development of new materials, and the dissemination of these educational materials back to the participating communities in Florida and Kentucky.

Creando Nuestra Salud interviewed 288 rural, Hispanic women, ages 12 to 80, about their knowledge of breast health, breast cancer, and internal barriers to early detection. All surveys were facilitated by CHWs. The findings, in contrast to other breast cancer projects, offer a multigenerational perspective of the social factors and health beliefs affecting Hispanic women's participation in breast cancer screening.

The two culturally appropriate”fotonovela” materials developed in response to the survey findings will be highlighted, emphasizing the role of Hispanics CHWs in both the story development and the character portrayal as actors for the materials. The utility of “fotonovela” materials as they relate to modeling positive behaviors, teaching others, and the impact of testimonials on risk-recognition will also be addressed.

Learning Objectives:

• Name five key perceptions and concerns of Hispanic women, ages 12-80, about breast cancer.
• Compare the perspectives of rural Hispanic women ages12-40 with those 40 and up as it relates to breast health, initiation of breast self-exams and accessing of medical services.
• Recognize the role of Community Health Workers (CHW) in community-based research, the identification of strategies for educational campaigns and the development of educational materials to serve the Hispanic community.
• Describe how the project developed and incorporated the fotonovela materials to examine breast cancer and early detection in the target community.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Hispanic

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Handout (free access)