The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68857

Beverly A. Lyne, RN, MSN, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, Global Public Health Nurse Consultant, 3370 B 34th Street, Boulder, CO 80301, 303-444-7114, blyne@juno.com and Joanne Sims, BA, Tina Action Programs, P.O. Box 1062, Woodacre, CA 94973.

Between fall 1999 and spring 2000, three of eight teachers at a rural elementary school in Marin County, California were diagnosed with breast cancer. Alarmed about what seemed to be a cancer cluster, the school principal called in the county Breast Cancer Program Coordinator and a local breast cancer action group leader. Thus began a collaboration between Lagunitas School District community and the County to address growing concerns about possible environmental risk factors. A research strategy, developed by the Breast Cancer Program Coordinator, involved individuals, stakeholder groups, nursing faculty, epidemiologists, the regional cancer registry and the school district. In-depth interviews to collect information about risk factors as well as residential and employment history were conducted with 34 school district employees. Large community meetings were held and key stakeholders were interviewed. Lay community members were integral to the entire process from issue identification to data collection to providing values-based guidance for action plans. Themes identified in the study included: diverse personal breast cancer risk awareness, stress in the school work environment, concerns for environmental exposures and a desire to promote accessible breast cancer screening. Based on these findings, the Tina Caring Center, named after the teacher whose death from breast cancer inspired the community to take action, and the Breast Cancer Reference Collection were established. These projects, recognized as model health outreach projects in the County, provide innovative breast cancer screening and breast health resources to a community where access to services is often limited by cost and transportation issues.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• 3. Describe the community values that initiated a community-based breast cancer pilot study.
  7. Recognize two negative, emotionally charged ramifications resulting from inquiry about possible environmental contamination in and around a small, rural school district.
  11. Identify the community health nurse's role in communication around emotionally charged health and environment issues.
  15. Describe the two innovative projects that were grounded in the study's findings and the community's values.

Keywords: Community Involvement, Breast Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.