Hispanics constitute the largest ethnic minority in the Southwest and the fastest growing minority group in the United States. In addition to its numerical importance, the Hispanic population represents a group that is culturally, historically, and demographically unique. These features have left persons interested in cancer control uncertain about how best to reach the Hispanic elderly with cancer education and screening programs. We intend to provide two forms of experimental cancer education and screening services to Hispanic elderly residing in housing projects. Elderly residing in matched housing projects will serve as controls. The project will identify six low income senior citizen housing projects. Two of these will receive a professional and peer education program; two will receive a professional education program only. Two housing units will be a no-intervention control. A minimum of 600 elderly will participate in this research demonstration. A baseline and an outcome survey will assess 1) sociodemographic characteristics, 2) knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding efficacy of care, and 3) behaviors including preventative health care and screening attendance. We will also collect process data using participant observation, provider reports, screening attendance records, and case studies. Data analyses will compare changes in knowledge, attitudes, and screening behaviors for the three experimental conditions. T-tests and analyses of variance will be used to test for treatment effects. Covariate analyses will be used to identify individual, cultural, and social factors affecting responses to the interventions. Multiple regression, discriminant function analysis, and LISREL modeling will be used to develop more complex models to explain the relationships among measured variables.
