The broad, long-range objectives of this project are to: (1) increase the proportion of low-income Hispanic women in the Houston area who comply with current breast cancer screening guidelines; (2) alter the attitudes and beliefs of low-income Hispanic women regarding their personal risk of breast cancer and need for screening services; (3) increase knowledge levels of low-income Hispanic women regarding their risks for breast cancer and ways to reduce risks through lifestyle changes and health seeking behaviors; (4) determine the efficacy of using interactive computer technology as a tool for fostering compliance with breast cancer screening guidelines among low-income Hispanic women; (5) assess the extent to which involvement of mothers and daughters in clinical service programs contributes to adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines; and (6) foster use of project results and outcomes through dissemination via the Internet and other components of the information superhighway. Following a year of development of a culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate multimedia program on breast cancer and breast cancer risk reduction strategies, a pilot research project will be undertaken with 180 low-income Hispanic women who will be assigned to three groups--a Control Group (CG); Intervention Group A (IG-A); and Intervention Group B (IG-B). The 60 women in each group will be further subdivided into women aged 18-30 and women aged 55 and over (30 women in each subgrouping) to test generational differences that may influence outcomes. Women in the CG group will be provided with traditional breast cancer educational materials (e.g., brochures, pamphlets), while women in both the IG-A and IG-B groups will be provided information via computer using the interactive multimedia program. Data gathered from these tests will be used to test five hypotheses: H1--women who are exposed to the computer breast cancer informational program demonstrate knowledge gain regarding breast cancer screening services at higher rates than do women provided information in more traditional formats; H2--women who are exposed to the computer-delivered breast cancer informational program exhibit more positive attitudes regarding breast cancer screening services than do women provided information in more traditional ways; H3--women who are exposed to the computer-delivered breast cancer informational program engage in health seeking behaviors consistent with breast cancer screening recommendations at higher rates than do women provided information in more traditional ways; H4--mothers and daughters who, together, are provided breast cancer information delivered via computer exhibit better outcomes with regard to knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors than do women who are provided the same information on an individual basis; and H5--components of the breast cancer informational program that are effective can be disseminated to other groups and individuals in a cost effective way via the information superhighway. Analyses of data to test the first four hypotheses will be carried out using a mixed model repeated measures analysis of variance, employing a doubly multivariate design. Testing of the fifth hypothesis will involve a demonstration of delivery of program components to sites in rural south and central Texas using Internet connections or other resources of the information superhighway.
| Jibaja, M L; Kingery, P; Neff, N E et al. (2000) Tailored, interactive soap operas for breast cancer education of high-risk Hispanic women. J Cancer Educ 15:237-42 |
