Community health workers WIN: Women's health improvement network

The local FQHC, school of public health, and private providers in Hidalgo County, Texas worked together on the WIN project, with the purpose to detect and treat breast cancer among Hispanic colonia women and to demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing promotores (community health workers) as case managers. The methodology for the project included: 1) local physician secured 250 free mammograms; 2) recruited providers to provide specialty care; 3) designed screening survey based on ACS risk factors; 4) organized large screening events; 5) prioritized women to receive free mammograms based on number of risk factors; 6) secured project funding through a County grant for specialty care and case management; 7) trained promotores in case management; 8) scheduled screening mammograms; 9) sent result letters; 10) followed up with clients with abnormal results and referred to FQHC; 11) promotores continued case management until cases were closed; 12) continued adding additional clients based on available funds; and 13) evaluated project outcomes. Results included: promotores trained in case management; 606 women initially screened; 250 women received free screening mammograms; 31 of the original 250 clients needed follow-up care; over 150 additional clients added in January-April 2009; over 700 procedures and appointments provided; and over 750 women served. Given the mortality rate in border-residing Hispanic women is 42.1/100,000 and that Hispanic women living along the U.S.-Mexico border are less likely than White women to receive routine breast cancer screenings, there is a great need for projects like WIN that are culturally relevant and successful.