The Breast Friends Program is an innovative outreach strategy for underserved women who live in Boston, to increase mammography use through Breast Friend Party workshops and mobile mammography screening.
In an informal atmosphere modeled on the "Tupperware Parties" of the 1960's, workshop facilitators deliver information in private homes, churches, schools, health centers and senior housing complexes. Participants learn to perform breast self-examination; the importance of clinical breast exams, the need for annual screenings and the locations for free services. Women are followed-up for repeat screening and linkage to primary care.
Currently, there are 125 workshop facilitators who come from the communities they serve. Sharing cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the women they are helping, enables facilitators to address cultural influences on health, health behaviors and beliefs. Skilled in speaking languages other than English, the facilitators have proven successful in overcoming barriers to follow-up screening like childcare and transportation by getting women to their appointments. Since its inception, the program has assisted in screening 1800 high risk women and achieved a follow up rate of 85% for those who attend Breast Friend Parties.
The mammography van provides screening access to underserved women in their own communities in partnership with community health centers. Public health staff serves as patient ambassadors who come to the site with the van and are available to encourage the women to get tested.
Using a two-prong approach, hard to reach women receive breast health information and earlier mammography screenings thus potentially leading to a decrease in breast mortality rates.
Learning Objectives: The Breast Friends Program is an innovative outreach strategy for underserved women who live in Boston, to increase mammography use through Breast Friend Party workshops and mobile mammography screening
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Boston Public Health Commission
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.