Woman to Woman: Implementation of a Cervical Cancer Education Training Program for Grenadian Lay Health Advisors

The reduction in cervical cancer (CC) in developed countries, due mainly to Pap testing, has not filtered down to Caribbean countries including Grenada despite accessible screening. This is attributed to a lack of knowledge and low screening. Researchers in low resource settings successfully trained lay health advisors (LHAs), using theory-based, culturally relevant interventions to reverse this trend. The use of LHAs in Grenada was not documented in the literature; therefore, the purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate a culturally relevant curriculum in an effort to educate Grenadian LHAs on CC. Using convenience sampling, 8 Grenadian women were recruited from the parishes with the highest rates of CC. They participated in Woman to Woman (W2W), a 2-day CC, and human papilloma virus (HPV) prevention education program facilitated by local content experts. W2W was adapted from an evidence-based curriculum and tailored for the Grenadian context. Training consisted of modules on CC and HPV. Knowledge of LHAs was measured pre- and post-intervention. Summative evaluation was assessed using a focus group discussion. There was a significant increase in CC knowledge among LHA post-training (p < 0.05) and LHAs had positive opinions about the intervention. They had an enhanced sense of self-efficacy and valued feeling part of a team. The W2W results indicated that an evidence-based and culturally tailored educational intervention has the potential for significant gains in CC and HPV knowledge. Future research will evaluate the LHA-led CC and HPV educational intervention in the community setting.