Abstract 4691: Evaluating the effectiveness of community based breast cancer and prostate cancer interventions among African Americans

Abstract

Health disparities among African Americans have been of key concern for the past decade. High rates of morbidity due to HIV/AIDS, heart disease, and cancer have led to the creation of new and more innovative efforts to educate African Americans about health disparities. The current paper is an assessment of the use of Community Theater to educate African Americans about breast and prostate cancers. To assess the effectiveness of theater, a team of health professionals, psychologists, and biomedical scientists were convened to develop two scripts written by a local playwright: “Stealing Clouds” which focused on breast cancer and “Fourth and a Mile” which focused on prostate cancer. A retrospective pre/post-test design with a 3-month delayed time series follow up was employed using surveys from participants upon viewing the plays. Results of both theatre presentations indicated that the plays were significant in increasing knowledge and awareness about both breast and prostate cancers. Furthermore, results indicated that participants, as a result of viewing the plays, reported increased likelihood of engaging in healthier behaviors (i.e., physician visits, testing). To assess the impact of Community Theatre as an effective medium, data was collected from a local health center indicating higher increases in mammography and prostate cancer exams as results of the plays. Given the high rates of cancer among African Americans, continued creation and evaluation of the effectiveness of such community-based efforts should be of key import in reducing and addressing cancer disparities. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4691.