Research Project

Empowering Latinas to Obtain Guideline-Concordant Breast Cancer Screenings

Principal Investigator: Molina, Yamilé
Start Date: 2022-09-08
End Date: 2027-08-31
Research Area(s): Cancer; Health Disparities
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute) R01CA261638

Abstract

The goal of this proposal is to improve the guideline-concordant breast cancer (BC) screening among Latinas living in Chicago, by testing a new empowerment (empower) approach - wherein non-adherent Latinas are empowered to become informal breast health leaders in their community and are navigated to affordable, accessible care. We will examine if, relative to traditional approaches, the empower approach leads to greater BC screening among non-adherent Latinas and women in their social networks. We will also explore and identify the “active ingredients” that lead to greater BC screening in the empower approach - including greater knowledge, motivation to be a healthy role model, volunteerism in community BC initiatives, potential to “bridge” network members with formal change agents (e.g., community health workers, navigators), acceptability to promote BC, feasibility to promote BC, and BC promotion to network members.