Volume 25, Issue 1: February, 1998

Abstract

LEARN, SHARE, AND LIVE: BREAST CANCER EDUCATION FOR OLDER, URBAN MINORITY WOMEN

Celette Sugg Skinner, PhD
Roslyn K. Sykes, RN, PhD
Barbara S. Monsees, MD
Dorothy A. Andriole, MD
Cynthia L. Arfken, PhD
Edwin B. Fisher, PhD

Address reprint requests to: Celette Sugg Skinner, PhD, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 510 South Kingshighway Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110; phone: (314) 362-2995; fax: (314) 362-8491; e-mail: skinner@MIRlink.WUStL.edu.

Among older urban minority women, for whom breast cancer risk is high and the propensity to be screened is low, both social support and breast cancer knowledge have been linked to mammography use. The authors describe a theory-based breast cancer education program implemented via an existing informal network for low-income urban elderly coordinated by a social service agency. The program is both structured and flexible. Core education sessions include delineated content and methods and are led by health professionals. Participants choose from a variety of follow-up activities to promote screening within their community. Pre- and posttests administered among 80 program attendees in two sites indicate significant improvement in knowledge ( p < .001). Program attendees in each site also planned and participated in follow-up activities to promote screening among their peers. Learn, Share, and Live seems to be an effective program for promoting breast cancer screening among older, urban, primarily minority women.