title: Targeting and Tailoring Health Communications in Breast Screening Interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Members of underrepresented minority (URM) groups are at higher risk of disproportionately experiencing greater breast cancer-related morbidity and mortality and thus, require effective interventions that both appropriately target and tailor to their unique characteristics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to describe the targeting and tailoring practices used in the development and dissemination of three breast cancer screening interventions among URM groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three national Community Network Programs (CNPs) funded by the National Cancer Institute have focused on breast cancer screening interventions as their major research intervention. Each targeted different populations and used participatory research methods to design their intervention tailored to the needs of their respective audience. The Alameda County Network Program (ACNP) to Reduce Cancer Disparities partnered with community members to design and conduct 2-hour "Tea Party" education sessions for Afghan women. The Kansas Community Cancer Disparities Network co-developed and deployed with community members a computerized Healthy Living Kansas (HLK) Breast Health program for rural Latina and American Indian women. The Johns Hopkins Center to Reduce Cancer Disparities employed a train-the-trainer COACH approach to educate urban African-American women about breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Each CNP program targeted diverse URM women and, using participatory approaches, tailored a range of interventions to promote breast cancer screening. Although all projects shared the same goal outcome, each program tailored their varying interventions to match the target community needs, demonstrating the importance and value of these strategies in reducing breast cancer disparities.
authors.forename: Mehra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirazi
authors.forename: Kimberly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Engelman
authors.forename: Olive
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mbah
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shirazi
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowie
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Popal
authors.forename: Arlene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wahwasuck
authors.forename: Denice
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Whalen-White
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobs
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D054521:Cultural Competency; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D044469:Racial Groups; D014481:United States