Promotoras de Salud [Lay-health workers] promoting early breast cancer detection, health literacy and care access in Hispanic immigrant communities

The Rural Women's Health Project's Creando Nuestra Salud [Creating our Health] is a community-developed early breast cancer detection program for Hispanic Women in North Central Florida. One of the greatest health disparities facing Hispanic women is the high death rate from breast cancer primarily due to late detection. The American Cancer Society and the Walmart Foundation provided funds to address breast cancer health disparities among Latinas. The Creando Nuestra Salud (CNS) program incorporates cultural and linguistic considerations and focuses on reaching rural Hispanic women who are often without a medical home and have limited access to reliable information in Spanish. In 2011, CNS was initiated in seven rural counties to increase the participation of Hispanic, Spanish-speaking women, 40 years of age and older, in early breast cancer detection screenings through evidence-based, one-on-one peer education and referrals. Forty- three Hispanic women were trained as promotoras de salud (lay-health workers). During a four-month campaign 1,203 Hispanic community women were educated about early breast cancer detection. CNS incorporates key elements for success: partnering with community-based and health programs, utilization of communal testimonies for CNS fotonovela education materials, the utilization of didactic tools and a Spanish-language Resource Guide. Navigation and medical support was provided through health partners. The result was a commitment to monthly BSE by 97% of women participants, up from only 26% practicing monthly BSE prior to orientation, assisting 209 overcome their stated barriers to screenings and bridging women to community health program partners (medical homes).