Peer Conversations Help Boost Breast Cancer Screening Rates in Latina Women Ruby de Luna - KUOW
go to original May 18, 2016

We all know that cancer screenings are important, but it doesn’t mean they always get done. For some Latina women, a conversation with a peer can nudge them to action.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latina women. Dr. Gloria Coronado, epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Oregon, said that’s because Latinas are likely to be diagnosed when the disease is already advanced.

“Women who are with advanced stage breast cancer have a much lower rate of survival,” Coronado said.

Coronado had an idea. What if women got a visit from someone like them? A "promotora"?

Promotoras are lay people trained as community health workers. Their role isn’t to tell patients what to do, but to provide information about breast cancer.

Read the rest at KUOW

Photo: Clínica Mult

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