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The Chamorro Breast
Cancer Research Project
(BCRP)
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Project Summary
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This three-year, community-based research project applies social network theory to test the effectiveness of a tailored, Chamorro lay health advocate intervention to increase breast cancer screening rates among Chamorro women age 50 years and older in the counties of Los Angeles and Orange.
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Project Hypothesis
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- This project hypothesizes that the intervention will significantly increase the rates of appropriate breast cancer screening (baseline and regular breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography), and that the increased screening rates will be related to increased diffusion of information and skills through naturally-occurring social networks of Chamorro women.
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Project Activities
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- During the three year period, we will undertake the following major activities: 1) identification of Chamorro women 50+ years old who are linked to each other through close social (family and friendship) ties; 2) training of 20 Chamorro lay advocates in breast cancer information and screening (modeled after ACS’ Special Touch and the Wai’anae Cancer Research Project’s lay leader training programs); 3) implementation of lay advocate-led small-group events to educate women about BSE, CBE and mammography; 4) linkage with other projects (such as OCAPICA’s Promoting Access to To Health Project) to facilitate screening services for interested women; 5) follow-up measurement of women after 1 ½ years of intervention to measure changes in women’s behavior and diffusion of those behaviors through social networks; and 6) dissemination of materials and trainings to Chamorro women in the bay area (who served as the “controls”) as well as to other Chamorro and Pacific Islander communities (through our network of professional and community contacts)
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Project Collabor-ators
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- This study continues a close community-based collaboration established five years ago between Guam Communications Network, Inc., and the University of California, Irvine, and broadens it to include two other Chamorro social groups: I Famalao’an (Chamorro for “the women”) and the Bay Area Women’s Social Club.
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Project Benefits
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- While this study will provide vital information on breast health promotion for Chamorro women, we also believe the results will help in the development of the successful strategies for the promotion and evaluation of breast cancer screening to ethnic minority women who are from relatively smaller, tightly-knit communities across California.
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