An Evaluation of a Rural Community-Based Breast Education and Navigation Program: Highlights and Lessons Learned

Cancer has become the leading cause of death in North Carolina (NC) (North Carolina DHHS, State Center for Health Statistics 2015) and the eastern region of North Carolina (ENC) has experienced greater cancer mortality than the remainder of the state. The Pitt County Breast Wellness Initiative-Education (PCBWI-E) provides culturally tailored breast cancer education and navigation to screening services for uninsured/underinsured women in Pitt and Edgecombe Counties in ENC. PCBWI-E created a network of 23 lay breast health educators, and has educated 735 women on breast health and breast cancer screening guidelines. Navigation services have been provided to 365 women, of which 299 were given breast health assessments, 193 were recommended for a mammogram, and 138 were screened. We have identified five lessons learned to share in the successful implementation of a community-based breast cancer screening intervention: (1) community partnerships are critical for successful community-based cancer screening interventions; (2) assuring access to free or low-cost screening and appropriate follow-up should precede interventions to promote increased use of breast cancer screening; (3) the reduction of system-based barriers is effective in increasing cancer screening; (4) culturally tailored interventions can overcome barriers to screening for diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups; and (5) multi-component interventions that include multiple community health strategies are effective in increasing screening.