In order to maximize results of education and self-management approaches, programs are often tailored for different groups of people. Kagawa-Singer and coworkers used a community-based research approach to test a culturally based breast cancer-screening program among low-income Hmong women in central and southern California. The investigators designed a culturally informed educational program with measures at baseline and one-year follow-up in two intervention cities and one comparison city. Outcome measures included changes in breast cancer screening, knowledge, and attitudes. Compared with women in the comparison community, women in the intervention community significantly improved their attitudes toward, and increased their knowledge and receipt of, breast cancer screenings. Odds of women in the intervention group: (a) having had a mammogram; (b) having had a clinical breast examination; and (c) having performed breast self-examination was 6.75, 12.16, and 20.06, respectively, compared with women in the comparison group.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: The authors concluded that culturally informed education materials and intervention design were effective methods in conveying the importance of maintaining and monitoring proper breast health. The strength of community collaboration in survey development and intervention design highlighted the challenges of early detection and screening programs among newer immigrants, who face significant language and cultural barriers to care, and identified promising practices to overcome these health literacy challenges.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A PATIENT: Every patient deserves training, particularly in self-management, in a manner that they understand on how to better care for their health. The community collaboration in this study yielded excellent results in a Hmong population. Similar programs need to be tailored for other populations, including programs appropriate for you. Community approaches to teaching health care are bound to increase in the future. As occurred in this study, this will require materials designed for all groups of patients.

M Kagawa-Singer et al. Outcomes of a Breast Health Project for Hmong Women and Men in California. American Journal of Public Health, May 14, 2009.