Abstract A017: Using social media to communicate breast cancer risk and promote breastfeeding among pregnant African American women
Authors: Dauphin Cassy , Saad-Harfouche Frances G. , Keller Maria , Clark Nikia , Rodriguez Elisa M. , Triplette D'zare , Kiviniemi Marc , Erwin Deborah O. 
Published: August 2020

Purpose of Study: Incidence rates for aggressive ER- breast cancer in African Americans have continued to increase, and epidemiologic studies (AMBER Consortium) suggest breastfeeding can reduce risks for this deadly disease. Notably, breastfeeding rates are lowest among poor, younger, and African American mothers, offering an opportunity to intervene. Health behavior theories show that perceived risk for health problems can be a motivating factor for behavior change. The purpose of this NCI R21 study was to examine the behavioral impact of a tailored intervention to disseminate new scientific findings about reducing cancer risk for African American women by breastfeeding.

Methods: A multimodal approach was used to reach pregnant African American women accessing services through Women, Infant and Children (WIC), community-based organizations and OB/GYNs to invite them to participate in a tailored social media educational intervention. Recruitment was delivered using Telerivet (computer-based mobile messaging platform) and participants were connected to an automated invitation to Survey Monkey to complete eligibility, consent, and pre and post-partum surveys from smart phones. Eligible participants were randomized into a control Facebook (FB) group receiving only breastfeeding messages or an intervention FB group that received both breastfeeding and breast cancer risk reduction messages. All messaging was tailored for African American mothers. Multiple polls and FB actions were used to increase participant engagement.

Results: To date, a total of 612 women were recruited, 356 were eligible, 287 women consented, 261 completed pre-surveys, and 134 have currently completed post-surveys. Participants ranged from 18-54 years of age. Preliminary results show significant differences in breast cancer risk perception with an average presurvey mean of 3.07 to a post-survey mean of 1.31 (p &lt;.001). Perceived behavioral control pre- to post-birth indicates significant increases in breastfeeding self-efficacy in knowledge (p &lt; .001), confidence (p =.03), support (p=.002), skills (p=.01), and ease (p=.01). Qualitative interactions were captured through participation in the FB group and intragroup analysis is ongoing.

Conclusions: Results will provide crucial information to determine if risk perceptions can be transformative in creating a shift from formula-as-an-equivalent-feeding-practice to “Breast is Best” among African American women within their social context—basically creating a culture-change model. Process data on intervention methods and the potential role to effectively disseminate this new message to increase breastfeeding will be presented.

Citation Format: Cassy Dauphin, Frances G. Saad-Harfouche, Maria Keller, Nikia Clark, Elisa M. Rodriguez, D'zare Triplette, Marc Kiviniemi, Deborah O. Erwin. Using social media to communicate breast cancer risk and promote breastfeeding among pregnant African American women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A017.