title: American Indian women's talking circle. A cervical cancer screening and prevention project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is important to American Indian women due to high mortality and low survival rates compared with other ethnic groups. This article describes the development and implementation of a culturally acceptable cervical cancer screening program in urban and rural American Indian health clinics in California.
  
  
  METHODS
  A team of researchers used social learning theory, research data, and focus groups to design a cervical cancer screening program. The major component of the program was the adaptation of a culturally acceptable mode of communication called Talking Circles. The American Indian Talking Circle project used the Talking Circle format, coupled with traditional Indian stories, as a vehicle to provide cancer education and to improve adherence to cancer screening. Eight American Indian clinics were randomly assigned into intervention and control sites (n = 400 women). The intervention was administered to 200 Indian women 18 years and older in four American Indian clinics; four additional American Indian clinics (n = 200 women) served as control sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary results from the research show that American Indian women responded favorably to a culturally framed education project. Initial reports indicate that health-related information is accepted and acted on when it is coupled with cultural information that is presented in a sensitive manner. Final evaluation of the project is forthcoming.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Utilizing a culturally acceptable intervention has the potential to improve the health status of American Indian Women.
authors.affiliation: University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health, USA.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fredericks
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002140:California; D003142:Communication; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears