Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105680

Armando Valdez, PhD, PRISM (Pacific Research Institute for Social Marketing), 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 152, Mountain View, CA 94040, 650 917-6600, avaldez@aol.com

Invasive cervical cancer rates for Latinas are almost twice those of other women regardless of stage of the disease. Latinas are more likely than other women to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease due to relatively low screening rates. This study developed and evaluated an interactive education intervention to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate cervical cancer screening and risk reduction information to low literacy Latinas. The intervention used digital video and flat-screen technologies in touchscreen kiosks to tailor the intervention to the language preferences and age-levels of at-risk Latinas.

The specific objectives of this study were to: (1) develop culturally and linguistically appropriate cervical cancer screening and risk reduction information designed for low-income, (2) develop interactive, multimedia, touchscreen kiosks to deliver the intervention, and (3) evaluate the efficacy of the intervention to increase awareness of cervical cancer risk and promote screening and risk reduction behaviors.

The study used a pre-test/post test cross-sectional design in which 900 participants across three sites were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions for exposure to the intervention. The control group received a cervical cancer brochure while the experimental group used the kiosks. A post-test was administered six months after baseline. Outcome measures for gauging intervention efficacy were (a) knowledge gains, (b) attitudinal change, (c) increased self-efficacy and (d) screening behavior. The study results demonstrate the kiosks were effective in improving cervical cancer screening knowledge and attitudes and promoting screening behavior. Details of these results will be presented in this panel presentation.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Describe the process for designing appropriate intervention messages for low-income, low literacy Latinas.
• Identify the advantages of using interactive, multimedia technology to deliver the education intervention to the intended audiences.
• Describe the evaluation measures used to assess efficacy of intervention.
• Describe the efficacy of the education intervention to improve knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening, and promote adoption of screening behaviors.

Keywords: Cancer Prevention, Cervical Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.