It's probably safe to say that breast and cervical cancer screening is not always foremost in the minds of American Indian and Alaskan Native women. Even when it is a priority, many obstacles stand in the way of routine screening including personal obstacles such as fear, lack of transportation, and lack of childcare. Institutional barriers include a lack of female health care providers, an inadequate number of health care providers, and a perceived lack of confidentiality. However, once routine screening is established, it offers the potential for confirming good health. It also offers a great opportunity for early detection if cancer is present. With a combination of routine mammograms, clinical breast exams, breast self-exams (for breast screening) and Pap tests (for cervical screening), abnormalities can be spotted early. Early detection allows for early treatment, which means the increased likelihood of a good outcome.
It is recommended that women age 18
and older and those who are younger than 18 and sexually active have a Pap test
every year. One way to provide this
information is through printed educational materials.
It is important to provide culturally appropriate education when working
with minority populations. Individuals
may not think educational materials relate to them if the person in the pictures
on the educational materials does not look like them.
Women may not think the material is aimed at them if the words used in
the message are written differently from how they speak.
These scenarios can lead to individuals not receiving important health
information.
Using the most recent available data, cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 for the Billings Area Office, an arm of the Indian Health Service (IHS) that serves the Apsáalooke Reservation, were 32.3 versus 7.8 for whites and 7.8 versus 3.0 for whites, respectively. This IHS branch estimates that 43.7% of Apsáalooke women who live in the Crow Agency Contract Delivery area and who have had at least one general IHS clinic visit in the last twelve months have had at least one Pap test in the past year. This compares to a screening rate of 80.1% for white women. (Cite) The actual rate of screening for Apsáalooke women is probably much lower because this statistic only included women who had a clinic visit in the past year. The Pap smear is a proven method of detecting cells in the cervix that are abnormal and may turn to cervical cancer. With current screening and treatment methods, cervical cancer is 100% treatable.
A study on cancer control services to Native Americans by State Health Departments found that there were few agencies reporting any print or video information specific to Native Americans. Although some cervical cancer educational material specific to Native Americans does exist, the appropriateness of this material to Apsáalooke women was assessed through community meetings. There were four community meetings in different communities. The women who participated in the meetings made comments on the educational materials we had on hand and what they would like to see the material look like for the Apsáalooke women.
Messengers' Home Project Description Introduction
Community Meetings Project Goals Messengers for Health Timeline
Who are the Messengers Messengers' Training Workshop