Abstract C16: Using community theater to improve knowledge and awareness of cancer preventive health behaviors in Harris County, TX
Authors: Landa Veronica , Montealegre Jane , Chenier Roshanda , Chauca Glori , Valverde Ivan , Jibaja-Weiss Maria 
Published: February 2019

Introduction: The burden of cancers that can be prevented through early detection, specifically breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, remains higher among medically underserved minority populations. Disparities in knowledge and awareness of screening contribute to the increased burden. We developed an innovative community theater program to educate and promote breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening among medically underserved Hispanic, African American, and Vietnamese communities of Harris County, TX.

Methods: The program consists of two original plays and nine monologues that promote breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening and are culturally tailored to each racial/ethnic and linguistic group. They are all based on a health communications framework, specifically the Extended Parallel Process Model, built on the constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, and response efficacy. Each play and monologue was written by an independent professional playwright with input on health messaging from health care professionals. The scripts were then worked through an iterative process between them and clinical and community advisory boards. Live performances by professional actors were held in community venues located in medically underserved zip codes. The monologues were developed in three different languages, English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Anonymous surveys were self-conducted after each performance. Events included a performance of the monologue or play, a question-and-answer session with a health care professional, and distribution of educational materials. Typically, a representative from a partner institution was also available to connect audience members to health care services. Anonymous self-administered surveys are conducted after each performance.

Results: Between January 2014 and present, 128 monologues were performed, including 32 for cervical cancer, 28 for colorectal cancer, and 68 for breast cancer. A total of 3,332 individuals attended the performances (average audience size = 26). Among the 2,745 participants who completed post-performance surveys (response rate = 82.4%), 82.1% indicated that they were very likely to obtain a screening test after watching the performance, compared to 68.5% prior to the performance (p &lt; 0.05). Increase in the proportion of individuals with high intentions to screen was highest for cervical cancer (28.4% increase), followed by colorectal cancer (23.9%) and breast cancer (15.5%), and these differences were statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). The increase in the proportion of individuals with high intentions to screen was highest specifically for Hispanic audiences of the cervical cancer monologue.

Discussion: Community theater performances are an effective method of improving knowledge and awareness of screening and cancer prevention among medically underserved minority populations in Harris County, TX. Performances were especially effective in Hispanic communities. This may be due to their success in breaking barriers associated with culturally taboo topics associated with these cancers.

Citation Format: Veronica Landa, Jane Montealegre, Roshanda Chenier, Glori Chauca, Ivan Valverde, Maria Jibaja-Weiss. Using community theater to improve knowledge and awareness of cancer preventive health behaviors in Harris County, TX [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C16.