Addressing cancer disparities through community engagement: improving breast health among Haitian women.
OBJECTIVE
To describe processes for fostering community engagement among Haitian women to facilitate breast health education and outreach that are consonant with Haitians' cultural values, literacy, and linguistic skills.


METHODS
Existing breast cancer education and outreach efforts for Haitian immigrant communities were reviewed. Local community partners were the primary source of information and guided efforts to create a series of health-promoting activities. The resultant partnership continues to be linked to a larger communitywide effort to reduce cancer disparities led by the Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network.


RESULTS
A systematic framework known as the CLEAN (Culture, Literacy, Education, Assessment, and Networking) Look Checklist guided efforts for improved communications.


CONCLUSIONS
Community engagement forms the foundation for the development and adaptation of sustainable breast education and outreach. Understanding and considering aspects of Haitian culture are important to the provision of competent and meaningful care.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses should expand their skills, knowledge, and competencies to better address the changing demographics of their communities. Nurses also can play a critical role in the development of outreach programs that are relevant to the culture and literacy of Haitian women by forming mutually beneficial partnerships that can decrease health disparities in communities.
Meade
Cathy D
CD
Department of Oncologic Sciences in Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA. cathy.meade@moffitt.org
Menard
Janelle
J
Thervil
Claudine
C
Rivera
Marlene
M
D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003469:Culture; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006205:Haiti / Q000208:ethnology; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012945:Social Values; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*