Breast cancer: agenda setting through activism

Breast cancer has long been one of the leading causes of death among women in the United States. The disease did not gain serious attention in the public policy arena, however, until the 1990s. Using Kingdon's agenda-setting model as a framework, this article describes how breast cancer moved to a place of prominence on the national health care agenda. The role of breast cancer activists in this effort is examined. Suggestions are then made concerning why and how advanced practice nurses might effectively influence the health policy agenda through political activism.