Abstract A15: An innovative intervention to promote breast cancer screening in Chinese American women
Authors: Lam Helen , Hinton Lisa , Kim Karen 
Published: May 2015

Background: The potential reduction in morbidity and mortality through cancer screening can only be realized when appropriate post screening follow-up care is received for abnormalities. Cancer control education should move beyond screening to include follow-up care. In addition, cancer is viewed among some groups as a death sentence and God's punishment. This is especially true for Asian-Americans. The fear of cancer manifests itself in fatalistic views, including fear of treatment and rejection, and leads many to deny cancer screening or delay cancer treatment. The purpose of our “A WalkThrough The Cure” intervention was to create an interactive environment to provide a mechanism for participants to understand the process of breast cancer care. The intervention allowed participants to gain knowledge through direct experience and provide an opportunity to communicate and discuss myths and perceptions about breast cancer with health providers in a less threatened real-life setting.

Intervention: The intervention was designed to lead participants to go through the journey of breast cancer care. The theoretical underpinning of the intervention is that persuasion occurring through an exchange process will have greater success in moving the individual toward a positive decision. The intervention brought Chinese community health workers and community members to the University of Chicago Medical Center to learn firsthand about breast health, breast cancer diagnostic and treatment, as well as survivorship. The intervention also mobilized faculty and medical students from the University of Chicago to create a stimulating learning environment. Participants were led on a walking tour of breast cancer care related centers, including Breast Health Center, Oncology clinic and Infusion Center, Oncology Radiation Center and Cancer Resource Center at the medical center. Each stop of the tour was staffed by a faculty member. A mini lecture was given by the faculty at each stop and participants were encouraged to ask questions. The tour lasted about two hours, and ended with an interactive discussion led by breast cancer survivors who shared their story of survival.

Results: Twelve community health professionals and community health workers, and 16 community members took part in the event. Participants were asked to fill out pre and post surveys. In both surveys, participants were asked to rate their knowledge on five different breast cancer topics: mammogram, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, breast health and breast surgery. Participants were also asked to describe two personally important outcomes of the event and their intention to have a yearly mammogram. Before the intervention, the percentages of participants reported no knowledge on the topics were: 29% for mammogram, 25% for chemotherapy, 32% for radiation therapy, 18% for breast health and 40% for breast surgery. After the intervention, the percentages of participants reported no knowledge on the topics declined to: 7% for mammogram, 7% for chemotherapy, 7% for radiation therapy, 7% for breast health and 11% for breast surgery. After the intervention, more than half of the participants (57%) reported that they would definitely have a yearly mammogram compared to none before the intervention.

Conclusion: In sum, the “A Walk Through The Cure' intervention shines a new light to patient education science that a two-way communication exchange process and direct experience not only improve knowledge, but also strongly move individual to a positive decision.

Citation Format: Helen Lam, Lisa Hinton, Karen Kim. An innovative intervention to promote breast cancer screening in Chinese American women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A15. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A15