From Focus Groups to Workshops: Developing a Culturally Appropriate Cervical Cancer Prevention Intervention for Rural Latinas

Abstract

Latinas in the United States are disproportionately affected by cervical cancer, a disease that can be prevented, detected, and treated. As the U.S. Latino population continues to grow, the need for effective, culturally appropriate programmatic efforts for preventing cervical cancer among this population is heightened. To improve timely Pap screening and follow-up care among low-income, rural Latinas, formative research was conducted with this population and used to inform the development of a community-based intervention. Focus groups were held with twenty-seven Latinas in a rural North Carolina county to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding cervical cancer prevention. Findings indicate that respondents were familiar with the importance of Pap screening; however, they were less knowledgeable about cervical cancer and perceived susceptibility was low. Factors related to Pap screening behavior included embarrassment, social support, partner influence, economics, patient-provider interactions, and reliance on clinic interpreters. The findings were used to tailor educational workshops to the cervical cancer prevention needs of low-income rural Latinas.