232014 Current outreach and screening programs -- are they using the right messages and having the right effect?

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 3:10 PM - 3:20 PM

Jane Sprague Zones, PhD , National Women's Health Network, San Francisco, CA
The United States has invested many millions of dollars over many years, with a significant escalation in the last 15 years, to encourage women to be screened for breast and cervical cancer. Has the recent surge in the number and diversity of outreach and screening programs resulted in a decrease in mortality? Has there been a reduction in the disparities between different groups of women? The speaker will review public health education and outreach efforts and assess the accuracy of the messages used. The speaker will also report on the latest research on women's beliefs about the effectiveness of breast and cervical cancer screening. Previous research has shown that many women over-estimate their risk of developing breast cancer. Is this mis-perception also true of women's beliefs about the effectiveness of screening? Does it vary among women in different racial and ethnic groups?

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Analyze the accuracy of selected breast and cervical cancer screening education programs.

Keywords: Women's Health, Cancer Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a board member of Breast Cancer Action and a former board member of the National Women's Health Network, I have been responsible for the evaluation of programs, and the development of position papers on various topics related to breast and cervical cancer.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3354.0: Breast and cervical cancer screening: Hype, hope, evidence and equality