264622 Promoting Early Detection of Breast Cancer to Save Women's Lives in Jordan

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Reed Ramlow, MBA, International Management , International Health Division, Abt Associates Inc., Amman, Jordan
The USAID Private Sector Project for Women's Health in Jordan (PSP-Jordan) established a partnership with the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to launch the Jordan Breast Cancer Program (JBCP). The joint effort leveraged PSP-Jordan's already strong programming in community outreach and communications as well as in medical provider training to increase the detection of early-stage breast cancer.

Increasing Demand for Early Detection: * Community Outreach. Project-supported community health workers educated women on breast cancer and taught self-breast examination during home visits.

* National campaigns. In October 2006, PSP-Jordan funded and launched Jordan's first-ever Pink Ribbon campaign in partnership with KHCC, KHCF, and the MOH. The JBCP has now assumed full responsibility for the annual communication campaign.

Increasing Access to Breast Cancer Detection Services: PSP-Jordan used several approaches to increase access to cancer detection services in the private sector: * Developed national guidelines for breast cancer detection and treatment * Provided training in clinical breast examination * Increased and improved mammography services * Developed a referral system for clinical breast examinations and diagnostic tests

Impact: In 2006, KHCC diagnosed 70 percent of new breast cancers in the late stages (stages III–IV). The most recent Jordan Cancer Report (2009) showed that 59 percent of the 964 new cases in Jordan were diagnosed in the early stages (stages 0–II)—a remarkable turnaround. The JBCP now leads national breast cancer efforts and coordinates all national breast health–related activities without USAID project support.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Communication and informatics
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the effectiveness of a strong public-private partnership in advancing early detection of breast cancer in a developing nation where public health programming to address cancer is nascent. Design an integrated and comprehensive program to increase early detection of breast cancer in a developing nation that includes medical provider training in breast cancer screening, quality assurance programming, and extensive education of women through nationwide community outreach and national media campaigns.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Programs, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the project director for the USAID Private Sector Project for Women's Health in Jordan that implemented the breast cancer program discussed in the abstract.
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: 5069.0: Women's Health in the global context