Community health worker intervention to decrease cervical cancer disparities in Hispanic women.
BACKGROUND
U.S. Hispanic women suffer a disproportionate burden of cervical cancer, with incidence and mortality rates almost twice that of whites. Community health workers, or promotoras, are considered a potential strategy for eliminating such racial and ethnic health disparities. The current study is a randomized trial of a promotora-led educational intervention focused on cervical cancer in a local Hispanic community.


METHODS
Four promotoras led a series of two workshops with community members covering content related to cervical cancer. Sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer risk, previous screening history, cervical cancer knowledge, and self-efficacy were measured by a pre-intervention questionnaire. The post-intervention questionnaire measured the following outcomes: cervical cancer knowledge (on a 0-6 scale), self-efficacy (on a 0-5 scale), and receipt of Pap smear screening during the previous 6 months (dichotomous). Univariate analyses were performed using chi square, t-test, and the Mann-Whitney test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the association between explanatory variables and receipt of Pap smear screening.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences between the two experimental groups at baseline. Follow-up data revealed significant improvements in all outcome measures: Pap smear screening (65% vs. 36%, p-value 0.02), cervical cancer knowledge (5.4 vs. 3.5, p-value<0.001), and self-efficacy (4.7 vs. 4.0, p-value 0.002). In multivariate analysis, cervical cancer knowledge (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.10-2.81) and intervention group assignment (OR 6.74, 95% CI 1.77-25.66) were associated with receiving a Pap smear during the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
Our randomized trial of a promotora-led educational intervention demonstrated improved Pap screening rates, in addition to increased knowledge about cervical cancer and self-efficacy. The observed association between cervical cancer knowledge and Pap smear receipt underscores the importance of educating vulnerable populations about the diseases that disproportionately affect them. Future research should evaluate such programs on a larger scale, and identify novel targets for intervention.
O'Brien
Matthew J
MJ
Division of General Internal Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, 3223 North Broad St, Suite 175, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. dmob76@gmail.com
Halbert
Chanita Hughes
CH
Bixby
Rebecca
R
Pimentel
Susana
S
Shea
Judy A
JA
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003150:Community Health Workers; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014478:Unemployment; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*