[Testing a participatory approach to cancer screening for disadvantaged women]

An induction of organised breast and cervical cancer screening is underway in France. Nevertheless, communication around this issue has not been sufficient enough to be effective in mobilising women to participate, especially among those who are underprivileged. In fact, there are many constraints and obstacles, including women's opinions, beliefs and perspectives about these types of cancer and their screening. How can communication be designed in order to better respond to their specific concerns? How can one facilitate a greater understanding and awareness of the need and utility for gynaecological regular follow-up and early screening? It is through attempting to answer these questions that a research project was established to develop specific communications activities through a participatory peer-education process. Two groups of disadvantaged women participated in the development and management of a community-based communication programme. The programme's effectiveness is demonstrated. For 9 out of 10 women participating in the programme acknowledged a real awareness of the need for gynaecological follow-up and the usefulness of early screening, and 20% of them had a gynaecological visit with a practitioner as a result. Furthermore, we were able to highlight the impact of the participatory approach on the development of the psychosocial skills of the women involved as partners and volunteers in the programme. Today, the use of this model is being implemented as the participatory method to build a network of health mediators in the Lorraine region where they are responsible for developing local communication and health education at the grass roots level.