Integrated Community Education Model: Breast Health Awareness to Impact Late Stage Breast Cancer

Northington, LaDonna Kaye

Tuesday, July 12, 2011: 8:50 AM

LaDonna Kaye Northington, DNS, CCRN, BC
School of Nursing, University of Mississippi, Jackson, MS
Tina M. Martin, PhD, RN, CFNP
School of Nursing, University of Mississippi School of Nursing, Jackson, MS
Jean T. Walker, RN, PhD
School of Nursing, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
P. Renée Williams, RN, PhD
School of Nursing, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe a integrated community education model to promote breast health education and early detection of breast cancer.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to identify the psychosocial and cultural issues/barriers that impact breast health screening and early detection practices in this population.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to generate and test an integrated community education model in a medically underserved area in a southern state in the United States that has evidence of significantly higher mortality rates from breast cancer. The goal of the project was to increase participation in breast health education, provide early screening and detection practices, and provide access to annual mammograms and referral sources for treatment of problems in a minority rural population

Methods: A three pronged integrated community intervention model (faith based, community, and state agencies) was developed and implemented to impact late stage breast cancer diagnosis in an underserved rural area.

Results: A total of 53 participants attended four Pink Lady Day screenings and 20 women from faith based organizations participated in the train-the-trainer sessions for ongoing breast health education to others in the community.

Participants in the screenings ranged from 12 to 71 years old with 48 African American and five Caucasian women. Three participants, ages 49, 48 and 37 and all African American women, were diagnosed as having early stage cancer development and were referred to an oncologist for treatment.

Conclusion: The integrated community model provided three women with life-saving early diagnosis and treatment as well as providing potentially hundreds of women with a network of breast health, self –monitoring, and referral sources for breast health problems in the future.

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