245478 Implementation and evaluation of a community navigation program to increase participation in colon cancer screening: WE CAN! (Wellness, Education, Community Awareness, and Navigation) Colon Cancer Program

Monday, October 31, 2011: 8:30 AM

Lauren Workman, BA, MPH, PhD candidate , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Dawnyea Jackson, PhD candidate , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Heather M. Brandt, PhD, CHES , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Tina Marie Devlin, MPH , Cancer Research Center, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Annette Cook, MPH, CHES , Cancer Prevention & Control Program, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Swann Arp Adams, PhD , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics & College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Lucy Annang, PhD, MPH , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Suzanne Swan, PhD , Department of Psychology and Women's & Gender Studies Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
     
Purpose: To increase awareness of and participation in colon cancer screening using evidence-based and promising approaches with an emphasis on community navigation.

Methods: The program is conducted in two counties in South Carolina targeting age- and screening-eligible adults. The program includes educational presentations and exhibits in the community to address program goals. One month post-exposure, participants are mailed a postcard to reinforce key educational messages. Community navigation assistance connects individuals to screening resources in their communities. Immediate, three-, and six-month post-exposure evaluation assessments are administered to those exposed to the presentation. Evaluation captures awareness, knowledge, screening history and intentions, and key message dissemination by individuals. Process evaluation tracks exposure, networking activities, and navigation services.

Results: More than 5,800 people have been exposed to the program and 512 have received navigation services. Participants agreed that they would read program materials (93.0%); talk with others about colon cancer (78.2%); and would talk with their health care provider about colon cancer (69.5%). About half (55.1%) self-reported colon cancer screening. Among participants who had been screened, most reported plans to continue routine screening as recommended (86.8%). Most participants found the WE CAN! information useful (99.0%), easy to understand (98.6%), and covering new information (95.0%).

Conclusions: Encouraging and educating the public about the importance of colon cancer screening empowers community members to be health advocates, talk to others about colon cancer screening, and participate in colon cancer screening. The program has been well received in the community and provides a useful model for replication.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe strategies used by the WE CAN! program to promote awareness and participation in colon cancer screening; 2. Describe the relationship between knowledge of colon cancer and participation in colon cancer screening; and 3. Assess the impact of community navigation in participation in colon cancer screening.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: a graduate research assistant working on this project; familiar with the topic area, content of the program, data to be presented
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.

See more of: Community and Lay Health Workers: Building Public Health Capacity
See more of: Public Health Education and Health Promotion