Culturally Relevant Online Cancer Education Supports Tribal Primary Care Providers to Reduce Their Cancer Risk and Share Information About Cancer

Abstract

Background Culturally relevant education is an opportunity to reduce health disparities, and online learning is an emerging avenue for health promotion. In 2014–2019, a team based at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium developed, implemented, and evaluated culturally relevant online cancer education modules with, and for, Alaska’s tribal primary care providers. The project was guided by Indigenous Ways of Knowing and the principles of community-based participatory action research and was evaluated in alignment with empowerment theory. About 265 unique learners completed 1,898 end-of-module evaluation surveys between March 2015 and August 2019, and 13 people completed a follow-up survey up to 28 months post module completion. Key Findings Learners described the modules as culturally respectful and informative and reported feeling more knowledgeable and comfortable talking about cancer as a result of the modules. About 98% of the learners planned to reduce their cancer risk because of the modules, and all follow-up survey respondents had reduced their risk, including by quitting smoking, getting screened for cancer, eating healthier, and exercising more. About 98% of the learners planned to share information with their patients, families, friends, and community members because of the modules, with all follow-up survey respondents indicating that they had shared information about cancer from the modules. Implications for Practice and Further Research Culturally relevant online modules have the capacity for positive behavioral change and relatively high correlations between intent and behavior change. Future research could determine which aspects of the modules catalyzed reduced cancer risk and increased dissemination of cancer information.

Cancer Education for High School Students in the Northwest Arctic Increases Knowledge and Inspires Intent to Share Information and Reduce Cancer Risk

“…The cancer education pilot demonstrated the potential of the lesson plans to significantly change learners' cancer-related knowledge and inspire intent to reduce personal cancer risk and share information about cancer. While these intentions may not lead to realized behavior change, a follow-up study of other cancer education participants found that all those who had intended to reduce their personal cancer risk behaviors reported they had done at least one of the behaviors they had intended up to 28 months after a cancer education course had been completed [25]. That study further found that all those who had intended to share cancer information ended up doing so although they were more likely to have shared with their family than with their friends or community members [25].…”

“…While these intentions may not lead to realized behavior change, a follow-up study of other cancer education participants found that all those who had intended to reduce their personal cancer risk behaviors reported they had done at least one of the behaviors they had intended up to 28 months after a cancer education course had been completed [25]. That study further found that all those who had intended to share cancer information ended up doing so although they were more likely to have shared with their family than with their friends or community members [25]. These findings suggest that the youth who intend to share information and reduce their personal cancer risk may well realize those behaviors.…”