The intervention will begin 12 months earlier in four cities. Six cross-sectional surveys of random samples of women will examine colon cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and practices in each group of cities. Surveys will be done every six months and a total of 600 women will be surveyed each time. The evaluation component will also include ongoing monitoring of screening rates at identified health care facilities. This study will utilize an established partnership between investigators at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Southeast Division of the American Cancer Society to plan, deliver and evaluate the ability of this intervention to be disseminated by ACS volunteers and to improve colorectal cancer screening among low-income minority women.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among women.
African-American women have a 20 percent higher incidence rate than white women. Reasons for improved survival rates and localized disease rates among whites have been linked to use of early detection tests and changes in lifestyle factors less likely available to low-income populations. Inc. All rights reserved.