Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening in Rural African American Women

An Effective Practice

Description

This intervention uses education and self-empowerment to encourage African American women aged 50 and older to participate in colorectal cancer screening. The program was implemented in rural senior centers, and provided participants with free fecal occult blood tests. Women in the intervention viewed a video, "Telling the Story... to Live is God's Will," a dynamic, interactive video to encourage women to get screened for colorectal cancer. The video provided an overview of colorectal cancer and screening, discussed preventive health care from a scriptural perspective, modeled the appropriate use of a noninvasive screening kit, and addressed attitudes, beliefs, and fears about cancer. Participants received educational materials in the mail throughout the year to reinforce the messages of the video. They received an educational calendar to address key points about each month, including screening guidelines and the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this program is to decrease fatalism and increase participation in colorectal cancer screening among African American women.

Results / Accomplishments

Using a randomized controlled trial, the intervention group was compared to a control group that viewed a general video that provided an overview of colorectal cancer and noninvasive screening. The intervention group had a significantly greater increase in colorectal cancer knowledge scores over the year following the intervention when compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Women in the intervention group were four times more likely to participate in fecal occult blood testing than women in the control group (61% vs. 15%).

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
American Cancer Society Behavior Research Center
Primary Contact
Barbara Powe
Special Populations Research
Behavioral Research Center
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
1-800-228-4327
barbara.powe@cancer.org
http://www.cancer.org
Topics
Health / Cancer
Health / Prevention & Safety
Organization(s)
American Cancer Society Behavior Research Center
Source
Public Health Nursing
Date of publication
Oct 2004
Date of implementation
1999
Geographic Type
Rural
Location
Georgia
For more details
Target Audience
Adults, Women, Older Adults