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Promoting Cancer Screening in Partnership With Health Ministries in 9 African American Churches in South Los Angeles: An Implementation Pilot Study

PEER REVIEWED

This flowchart begins with “Training and technical assistance for community health advisors (CHAs),” which consisted of 88 hours of training (22 sessions x 4 hours), 96 hours of group debriefings (48 sessions x 2 hours) plus individual debriefings as needed, and 8 end-of-study celebrations and debriefings. Next, recruitment and baseline assessments were conducted by 44 CHAs from 9 churches (N = 775 participants). Of these 775 participants, 437 (56%) were adherent to national cancer screening guidelines and 338 (44%) were nonadherent. Those who were nonadherent received one-on-one counseling, print information, and reminders from CHAs. Of the 338 nonadherent participants, 253 (75% retention) responded to a 3-month follow-up survey to assess screening status.

Figure 1.
One-group pretest–posttest design of study to promote screening for 4 types of cancer (breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate) among members of 9 African American churches in South Los Angeles, 2016–2018.

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The top of the questionnaire asked for the name of the church; the date; the name of the community health advisor; and the name, age, mailing address, email address, and telephone number of the participant. It noted that participants need to be aged 50 to 75. It also asked whether it is okay to text (yes or no). The questionnaire was color coded in red, yellow, and green, the same colors used in a traffic light.

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Figure 2.

One-page baseline questionnaire used by community health advisors to assess adherence to cancer screening guidelines in 9 African American churches participating in an intervention in Los Angeles, 2016–2018. Abbreviations: DK, don’t know; HPV, human papilloma virus; MD, doctor; Pap, Papanicolaou; PSA, prostate specific antigen.

Screening Type Guideline Up to Date With Screening?
Colorectal cancer screening (men and women)
Ever had stool blood test? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know. Stool blood test recommended every year or sigmoidoscopy recommended every 5 years or colonoscopy recommended every 10 years (if no polyps in past exams)
  • No [in red]: Ask your doctor for a colorectal cancer screening test. Marked as nonadherent [in red].
  • Don’t know [in yellow]: Ask doctor when you had your last test and if you need another test. Marked as “Check with MD” [in yellow].
  • Yes [in green]: Excellent! Marked as adherent [in green].
Ever had sigmoidoscopy? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know.
Ever had colonoscopy? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know.
Breast cancer screening (women only)
Ever had a mammogram? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know. Recommended every 2 years
  • No [in red]: Ask your doctor for a mammogram. Marked as nonadherent [in red].
  • Don’t know [in yellow]: Ask doctor when you had your last test and if you need another test. Marked as “Check with MD” [in yellow].
  • Yes [in green]: Excellent! Marked as adherent [in green].
Cervical cancer screening (women 50–65 years only)
Ever had a Pap test? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know. Recommended every 3 years or Pap test and HPV test every 5 years
  • No [in red]: Ask your doctor for a Pap and HPV test. Marked as nonadherent [in red].
  • Don’t know [in yellow]: Ask doctor when you had your last test and if you need another test. Marked as “Check with MD” [in yellow].
  • Yes [in green]: Excellent! Marked as adherent [in green].
  • Hysterectomy or age ≥65: Discuss with your doctor if you still need tests.
Ever had HPV test? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know.
Prostate cancer screening (men only)
Ever had a PSA test? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know. If yes, when was the last? [Fill in date] or don’t know. Men should discuss the PSA test with their physician
  • Ever discussed the PSA test with your physician?
  • Answers of no [in red] or don’t know [in yellow]: Discuss PSA screening with your physician. Marked as nonadherent [in red].
  • Yes [in green]: Excellent! Marked as adherent [in green].
Ever discussed prostate cancer screening with a physician? Answers are yes, no, or don’t know.

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