Using a Lay Health Worker Program to Increase Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Hispanic Women

Using an Evidence-based Lay Health Worker Program to Increase Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Hispanic Women in Houston

The primary purpose of this study is adapt the Cultivando la Salud (CLS) intervention for a new community and priority population and to train community health workers (promotoras) from the Prosalud promotora program to implement the adapted CLS breast and cervical cancer screening program. The adaptation and delivery of the CLS intervention program focuses on meeting the needs and supporting of CHWs and Hispanic/Latina women in the Greater Houston Area. Finally, this study aims to evaluate the process and effect of the adapted CLS program (renamed Salud en Mis Manos (SEMM) on increasing mammography and cervical cancer screening.

CHWs identify women in the community in need of breast and/or cervical cancer screening. Based on their screening needs, they invite women to participate in the CLS behavioral intervention. Women are randomized to intervention and usual care comparison (delayed intervention) groups. After women are consented to participate in the study, the study team administers the baseline survey. After the baseline survey is administered, the CLS-adapted intervention (renamed Salud en Mis Manos), is delivered to participants randomized to the intervention group. After the follow-up survey is administered to the participants, women in the comparison group are offered the CLS (SEMM) intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• women who identify as Hispanic/Latina ancestry or descent and live in the Greater Houston Area in Texas
• no previous diagnosis of breast or cervical cancer

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women, and women who are adherent to screening guidelines
• prior or current cancer diagnosis