Communities’ perceptions towards cervical cancer and its screening in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia: A qualitative study

Background Cervical cancer is a malignant neoplasm from cells originating in the cervix uteri. Any woman who is sexually active is at risk of getting HPV. Women in sub-Saharan Africa region have higher chance of developing the disease. There are nearly 26 million Ethiopian women who are over the age of 15 and believed to be at risk of getting HPV. Regrettably, Ethiopian women typically present for cervical cancer care at a late stage in the disease, where treatment is most ineffective. Objectives To explore communities’ perceptions of cervical cancer and screening among women in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods A qualitative research using focused group discussions and in-depth interviews was used to explore communities’ perceptions of cervical cancer and screening among women in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia from March 2018-November 2019. The study participants were men, women and communities who were residents of the study settings and were not health professionals. All focused group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews were transcribed and entered into Microsoft Word and thematic content analysis was done. Results A total of fifty-nine participants participated in both FGD (three with men and six with women) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). Most participants have not heard about cervical cancer but know cancer in general. Participants mentioned that the disease usually relates to many births and unprotected sexual intercourse but none mentioned HPV infection. Most of the participants perceive that cervical cancer is incurable and assume that it could be prevented but they think they are not vulnerable to the disease and screening is not necessary. Conclusion This study indicates that rural communities in the zone had limited knowledge about cervical cancer and even less about risk factors, screening, treatment and prevention. There is a great need for cancer education and prevention in Ethiopia.

Testing the efficacy of a couple-focused, tailored eHealth intervention for symptom self-management among men with prostate cancer and their partners: the study protocol

Background Men with localized prostate cancer often experience urinary, sexual, bowel, and hormonal symptoms; general distress; pain; fatigue; and sleep disturbance. For men in an intimate relationship, these symptoms disrupt couples’ relationships and intimacy. The symptoms also reduce quality of life for both men and their partners, who are often their primary caregivers. Management of the negative effects of cancer and its treatment is a significantly under-addressed supportive care need for these men and their intimate partners. To address these unmet supportive care needs, our interdisciplinary team developed and pilot tested the usability and feasibility of an evidence-based, couple-focused, tailored eHealth intervention, “Prostate Cancer Education & Resources for Couples” (PERC). Based on the adapted stress and coping theoretical framework and developed with stakeholder involvement, PERC aims to improve quality of life for both men and their partners by enhancing their positive appraisals, self-efficacy, social support, and healthy behaviors for symptom management. Methods We will test the efficacy of PERC using a population-based, geographically and demographically diverse cohort in a randomized controlled trial. Primary aim: Assess if patients and partners receiving PERC will report greater improvement in their cancer-related quality of life scores than those in the control group (usual care plus the National Cancer Institute prostate cancer website) at 4, 8, and 12 months post-baseline. Secondary aim: Test if patients and partners in PERC will report significantly more positive appraisals and higher levels of coping resources at follow-ups than those in the control group. Exploratory aim: Determine if patient race and ethnicity, education, type of treatment, or couples’ relationship quality moderate the effects of PERC on patient and partner QOL at follow-ups. Discussion This study will provide a novel model for self-managing chronic illness symptoms that impact couples’ relationships, intimacy, and quality of life. It addresses the National Institute of Nursing Research’s goal to develop and test new strategies for symptom self-management to help patients and caregivers better manage their illness and improve quality of life. It also responds to calls for programs from the Institute of Medicine and American Cancer Society to address treatment-related effects and improve survivors’ QOL. Trial registration CT.gov NCT03489057

A Culturally Adapted Colorectal Cancer Education Video for the Somali Community in Minnesota: A Pilot Investigation

Purpose This study aims to develop and test feasibility of a colorectal cancer (CRC) education video appropriate for Somali immigrants. Design One-group pretest–posttest design. Setting Minneapolis, MN. Sample Thirty-one Somali men (mean age = 60.6; SD = 13.0). Intervention A CRC education video was developed in the Somali language with Somali community partners. Participants were invited to a workshop and watched the video. Measures Levels of understanding about CRC and screening were assessed before vs after the video. Analysis Binomial tests were conducted to examine changes in level of understanding. Results Analysis on pre–post, within-person changes in understanding about cancer, and CRC screening showed that proportions with a positive change in understanding risks of cancer (80%) and benefits of CRC screening (90%) were significantly higher than expected if the video had no effect (50%; P = .012, P < .001, respectively). Ninety-three percent of participants agreed that the video contained useful information. Conclusion These results provide evidence of usefulness of culturally tailored videos to facilitate CRC screening in the Somali community. Results of this study were limited by a small sample size and lack of a control group.

Pot Song as a Novel Cancer Communication Intervention: Lessons Learned from Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Culturally Grounded Intervention for Breast Cancer Education in Rural Bangladesh

Targeted public education may offer an approach to achieving more effective treatment in countries like Bangladesh, where breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women. Effective cancer education interventions address the target population’s cultural and contextual needs. However, there is little published literature to guide the development of educational cancer interventions in a region where lack of resources combined with cultural stigma about cancer contribute to poor breast health outcomes for women. The goal of the current study was to design, test, and evaluate a culturally grounded intervention to promote breast problem care among women in rural Bangladesh. The current manuscript first describes the process of formative evaluation that led to the development of the intervention, including decisions about the audience, message construction, and mode of intervention delivery. Second, we describe the testing process, including process and outcome evaluation. Finally, we describe the lessons learned from the process. We conclude with recommendations related to cultural grounding for message development, questionnaire design, data collection procedures, and analysis.

Engagement of Nepalese High-School Students in Cancer Awareness Using a Photovoice Based on the Health Belief Model

Delivering cancer education is one of the strategies for implementing health promotion and disease prevention programs. Moreover, cancer education can help people understand the risks related to specific behaviors that can trigger cancer during later life stages. This study examines the cancer perception of high school students (median age: 14 years) using a photovoice based on the health belief model. Students were requested to take photographs to answer the framework question: “How is cancer present in your surrounding?” A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted to develop codes, and the narratives completed by the participants on the SHOWED checklist were used to create contextualization. With the use of the health belief model, the following factors were determined: risk factors and environmental pollution (perceived susceptibility), symptoms (perceived severity), prevention and screening (benefits), ignorance and poverty, and ineffective laws and regulations (perceived barriers). Linked to these themes, students’ narration demonstrated the risk of developing cancer if the same environment and inadequate regulations persisted. This study highlights the need to incorporate the participation of adolescents in the design, implementation, and monitoring of several community issues to help address several unanswered questions.