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Irene Agurto, PhD, Noncommunicable Diseases, Pan American Health Organization, 525 23rd St., Washington DC, DC 20037, (202) 974-3573, agurtoir@paho.org
This paper provides a methodology to increase the participation of hard to reach women in cervical cancer programs in a very low income rural area. The methodology results from a project undertaken by the Pan American Health Organization and the Salvadoran Ministry of Health between 2001- 2003. The project targeted women aged 30-59, in particular those which had never been screened in their lives. Barriers and benefits to screening in Latin America as well as subjective norms, behavioral control, perception of control and social support were identified. Aside from overall service delivery improvements, areas addressed to increase coverage of the specific group include identifying the women, training community health workers in a methodology that addressed behavioral and cultural patterns, and linking CHWs’ outreach activities to quality improvement and implementation of new national guidelines.
Overall participation of women in rural isolated areas increased as compared before the intervention phase. Women who were never screened before in their lives were reached through mobile services attended clinics, particularly during the pilot phase. As the methodology was used for all women in the age group, the discussion focuses on how it affected different groups of women, including those who had never screened before.
Learning Objectives:
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.