Community health promoters in rural Chiapas, Mexico advocating for cervical cancer prevention

Grounds for Health (GFH), is a Vermont based non-profit organization focused on the early detection and treatment of cervical cancer among women in coffee-producing communities. GFH currently has active program sites in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Tanzania. An important component of their program is the training community health workers whose role is community sensitization around cervical cancer and serving as peer health advocates within their communities. At GFH's site in Jaltenango, Chiapas, Mexico, promotoras participate in trainings consisting of lectures, visual demonstrations, and small group activities preparing them to talk with their peers about HPV, cervical cancer, screening, and treatment.

GFH has successfully engaged both public health and nursing student interns to partner with the promotoras. In 2010, an assessment of promotoras' motives for participating, attitudes surrounding training received, and barriers or conflicts encountered as a promotora was performed to identify areas of strength and growth opportunities to improve the program. Data was collected through personal interviews with 13 local promotoras. Preliminary findings suggest satisfaction with the training materials and sessions and an eagerness to receive additional training about cervical cancer and other reproductive health topics. Commonly reported motives for participation included learning about relevant health topics and learning how to advocate for their own and their peers' health.

The Chiapas site is currently expanding to include three new coffee cooperatives and associated groups of promotoras. With the help of local staff and interns, GFH is developing and implementing new trainings and materials for promotoras and men's groups within these communities.