We report on an innovative intervention to increase rates of breast and cervical cancer screening among older African American and Latina women. Study recruitment and the intervention were conducted by outreach workers (OW) familiar with the study neighborhoods. Younger women (ages 30-45 years) were asked to nominate at least one older woman (50 years and older). Recruitment sessions were randomized to study conditions. In treatment sessions, OW explained the study and taught the younger women to intervene with the older women. In control sessions, the OW explained the study. One week after recruitment, the nominators in both study conditions were contacted to determine the older woman's willingness to participate. A total of 151 recruitment sessions were held over a 22-month period. A total of 549 nominators were willing to contact an older woman to participate in the study but only half were able to obtain agreement from their nominees. Fifty-eight percent of the older women in the control condition agreed to participate, compared to 48% in the intervention condition. After 6 weeks, 75% of the intervention group nominators reported talking with the older women about the screening exams. This unique intervention represents an effort to create a community-based approach to women who can be difficult to reach for preventive screening exams. Recruitment required considerable effort in a number of different sites. Recruitment rates were slightly higher in the control condition which demanded less of the participants.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe a strategy to recruit minority women to a study on breast and cervical cancer screening 2. Recognize barriers and enhancers to study recruitment
Keywords: Access and Services, Breast Cancer Screening
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.