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

Abstract #108559

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

Current national attention on health disparities is focused largely on identifying the nature and magnitude of inequities and failures in the health care delivery system. Scant attention is paid to identifying strategies and best practices that reduce those health disparities. This presentation describes two cancer education interventions that effectively fostered adoption of breast and cervical screening behaviors among low-income, low literacy Latinas. Indeed, the epidemiologic data indicates that this segment of women bears an unequal burden of cancer mortality due to late stage detection; poor and less educated women experience disproportionately higher rates of cancer mortality than their better educated counterparts. They have lower screening rates and face more attitudinal and structural barriers to preventive health services in general and to caner screening services in particular.

The two interventions described in this presentation used interactive technology that featured culturally and linguistically appropriate cancer education messages about risk, screening and prevention. These intervention messages were delivered via interactive touchscreen kiosks that used digital video to debunk attitudinal barriers, identify accessible screening resources and model recommended screening and risk reduction behaviors.

The efficacy of these interventions was empirically examined using a cross-sectional design and random assignment of study participants in diverse clinical settings. The study examing the efficacy of interactive kiosks to increase breast cancer screening involved 1200 women; the efficacy study of the cervical cancer kiosks accrued 900 women. The results of these studies demonstrated that these technology-based education interventions increased knowledge, fostered attitudinal change, increased self-efficacy and promoted screening behavior.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to (
• identify the health disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening rates for Latinas; (
• describe the advantages of using interactive, multimedia technology to reach low-literacy women with an education intervention; (
• describe key elements in the design of effective breast and cervical cancer screening and risk reduction interventions; and (
• describe the efficacy of interactive education interventions to improve knowledge and attitudes toward breast and cervical cancer screening, and promote adoption of screening behaviors.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Screening, 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.

Recorded presentation