Cancer detection activities coordinated by nursing students in community health

Abstract

This article describes ongoing cancer screening in a low-income and ethnically diverse community (primarily Southeast Asian and Hispanic). These services are part of the comprehensive care provided in a district nursing community health clinical. Screening services occur within the refugee community and include mammograms, individualized breast self-exam (BSE) teaching, home follow-up on the BSE teaching, and assistance obtaining any additional screening or treatment, if necessary. Except for technician activities, students plan, implement, and evaluate all services. The first event was in spring 1995, the second in summer 1995, and the third in fall 1995. Thus far, 85 women have received services. Cambodian and Laotian women show the lowest level of knowledge and experience related to breast cancer detection. This article provides some of the first data on cancer screening for low-income Cambodian and Laotian women in the United States. The article also shows how ongoing cancer screening and prevention services can be provided to populations that have not been successfully reached through usual means, e.g., referral by nurse practitioner, physician, and electronic or print media. Specific means of overcoming barriers to screening, prevention, and learning are described in detail.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Hispanic Women and Their Health Care Providers about Breast Cancer Risk Factors and Screening

“…Despite these efforts, a lack of education about breast cancer risk factors, as well as a lack of financial resources and/or medical insurance have been identified as significant barriers to obtaining appropriate breast cancer screening [2]. It has been postulated that lower socioeconomic status is prohibitive in obtaining access to appropriate breast cancer screening and may influence the timing of diagnosis and hence, survival [3, 4]. …”

“…Surveys of women throughout the United States have documented low rates of adherence to mammography recommendations and the practice of clinical breast examination among women of all ethnicities, with the lowest rates seen among African-American and Hispanic women [9, 10, 11, 12]. Due in part to the disproportionately high breast cancer mortality rates in African-American women, specialized outreach and education programs have historically been developed for African-Americans.…”

Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening Practices Among Arabic Women Living in the State of Qatar: The Health Care Providers' Perspective

“…Similarly, for some other cultural groups such as traditional Hispanic/Latina, Cuban, and South American, only a husband or a lover should touch a women's breast; therefore, women may feel uncomfortable with a doctor touching their breasts or require permission to have breast cancer screening done (Bailey, Bennett, Hicks, Kemp, & Warren, 1996;Borrayo et al, 2005;Rajaram & Rashidi, 1998). Similar to other cultural groups, some…”

Acanthosis Nigricans as an Early Clinical Proxy Marker of Increased Risk of Type II Diabetes

“…The pilot screening project in New Mexico, like other school and community-based screenings (Bailey, Bennett, Hicks, Kemp, &Warren, 1996;Mayo, White, Oates, Franklin, 1996;Sowan & Hickenlooper, 1988), involved collaborative efforts between the State Department of Health, local school systems, local clinics, and a local college of nursing. Graduate student nurses garnered experience in developing partnerships with communities to design and implement policies and procedures related to school-based screening.…”