Does conducting routine community health outreach events reach new women: An evaluation of a breast and cervical cancer screening program for Latina immigrant women

Background: Community outreach is an approach for providing health information to Latina immigrant women. We sought to determine whether outreach events conducted on a routine basis are attended by new or the same women. Methods: From 2003-2009 lay health promoters in Alabama organized annual educational luncheons to promote breast/cervical cancer screening to the Latina immigrant community. Women attending the event were able to schedule appointments to receive low-cost Pap smears and free mammograms in local clinics. Results: Over a 6 year period, 961 Latinas attended at least one event. Approximately half of women (46%) were employed and 54% reported a regular source of health care, but only 7% had health insurance. Attendance at each event ranged from 142 to 272 women. Overall, 796 women attended the event one time, 97 twice, and 68 attended three or more times. After multivariable adjustment, women who attended two or more events were more likely to be over age 40 years (odds ratio [OR]: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.13-2.39), have children (OR: 2.84; 95% CI: 1.39-5.83), lived in Alabama for 5 or more years (OR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.40-2.93) and less likely to be employed (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.46-0.98). Having a regular source of health care was not associated with repeat attendance. Discussion: In communities with a growing Latino population and health care institutions that have limited experience providing care to immigrants, conducting outreach programs on a regular basis can be successful in providing health information to additional women.