Cancer mortality among Alaska Native (AN) women is the highest among racial/ethnic groups in the U.S., and ranks third highest among AN men. Cancer is a new and frightening disease in this population. As recently as 1950, cancer was considered a rare disease. Native elders report no historical traditions or stories to provide wisdom on how to combat cancer. There is not even a word for cancer in the various Alaska Native dialects. The Cancer Education for Community Health Aides in Alaska Project will provide: 1) cancer education learning opportunities for both rural Alaska community health care providers and Alaska Native community residents; and 2) develop additional culturally appropriate education resources to strengthen course offerings. The project will attempt to educate at least one CHA/P from each of the 178 rural health clinics over the course of five years. CHA/Ps are in a position to educate residents and encourage participation in cancer screening and cancer risk factor reduction. All 450 CHA/Ps in the state of Alaska will be surveyed in year 1 of the project and again during year 5. CHA/Ps who receive cancer education during the project will be compared to those who do not. Surveys will collect information on cancer knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, personal cancer prevention and early detection (screening) behaviors, learning preferences, and sources of cancer information available and utilized. Data will be analyzed to ascertain the effectiveness of the project on influencing CHA/Ps cancer knowledge and attitudes, lifestyle choices particularly related to risk factors for cancer, their own cancer screening practices and their willingness to educate other community residents. Participants will increase their knowledge of cancer, as well as their familiarity with existing national cancer information resources. Evaluation will be conducted on each education component. Formative and summative evaluation techniques will be used. Continuing education is critical for CHA/Ps to provide quality health care in rural Alaska villages, reduce job stress and anxiety, and decrease employee turnover rates. With limited funding and training opportunities for continuing education in the current CHA/P Program, a great need exists to design, develop, and provide cancer education courses and materials which will be readily available and sensitive to the needs of Alaska Native people. The project goals are to decrease fear of cancer, increase knowledge and understanding of early detection and treatment, and reduce the prevalence of lifestyle and behavioral factors that increase risk for cancer. The ultimate goal is to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality among Alaska Natives, and thus, eliminate one of the major health disparities for this population.
| Kuhnley, Regina; Cueva, Melany (2011) Learning about cancer has brightened my light: cancer education for Alaska Community Health Aides and Community Health Practitioners (CHA/Ps). J Cancer Educ 26:522-9 |
| Cueva, Melany; Kuhnley, Regina; Lanier, Anne et al. (2006) Healing hearts: laughter and learning. J Cancer Educ 21:104-7 |
| Cueva, Melany; Lanier, Anne; Dignan, Mark et al. (2005) Cancer education for Community Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/Ps) in Alaska assessing comfort with cancer. J Cancer Educ 20:85-8 |
| Cueva, Melany; Kuhnley, Regina; Lanier, Anne et al. (2005) Using theater to promote cancer education in Alaska. J Cancer Educ 20:45-8 |
