REACH US Mississippi

Project Goals Increase awareness of the need for screening for breast and cervical cancer Increase the rate at which African American women in designated counties in the MS Delta get annual mammograms and Pap tests

White females are diagnosed more often than black women with breast cancer whites vs blacks More black women are diagnosed at a later stage than white women 34.3 whites vs 42.8 blacks Black women die at a greater number than white women from breast cancer whites vs blacks MS Delta Breast Cancer Facts

Outcomes and Measures of Success: Three Health Education Coordinators (HEC)will oversee REACH activities in the three Delta counties (Bolivar, Coahoma and Washington) A minimum of 15 Community Health Educators (CHE) will complete training Coordinators will serve as community resources for educators, within support for coalition members and ACS representative Each educator will reach a minimum of 15 participants in community education sessions Educators follow up for those who are not up to date on appropriate screening, except those who asked not to be contacted The target population is African American women aged Women 18+ will be included for cervical cancer education. Goal of reaching 450 women in population identified

Resources Developed HEC (coordinator) and CHE (educator) and Job Descriptions HEC and CHE Curriculums Confidentiality Agreement HEC Memorandum of Agreement Intake Assessment Forms Pre- and Post Tests CHE Resource Guide

Health Educator Coordinator Training Provided by: REACH-US Mississippi Coalition Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health across the US Mississippi Coalition

Mississippi Coalition Community Health Education Sessions

Project Accomplishments Number of intake forms received = 284 Bolivar Coahoma - 53 Washington - 70 Number of women educated = 289 Bolivar Coahoma - 53 Washington - 75 Number of permitting follow-up contact = 205 Bolivar Coahoma - 37 Washington - 57

Feedback from Health Coordinators Simplify intake forms Include the option of using visual aids during CHE presentations (videos, etc.) Provide more in-dept educational training on cancer for coordinators Provide more information on available resources Provide adequate refreshments as an incentive

Feedback from Participant and Community Members Fear of diagnoses Cultural barriers Transportation barriers Include men in educational sessions Need more culturally appropriate support groups in targeted areas Garner support from faith-based communities Confusion/lack of knowledge about available resources

Coalition Lessons Learned Consistent method for training Health Coordinators Information should be disseminated to all coalition partners Consider methods for coalition sustainability and by- in Develop an formal organizational structure within the coalition

Next Steps Recruit and train three Health Education Coordinators with one serving as Lead HEC Educate at least 450 additional women from the targeted population Restructure coalition framework Incorporate CHE and participant feedback into implementation plan Improve program based upon lessons learned from coalition members Re-establish relationship with ACS representative

Boliver County Community Meeting Participants

County Meeting MS Coalition Member – Freddie White-Johnson assisting with education.

REACH US Coalition Members Coalition MembersOrganization Represented Melody FortuneMS State Department of Health Towanda WilliamsUniversity of Southern MS Jimmie WellsUniversity of MS Health Care Tamara ButlerAmerican Cancer Society Deidre RogersMS Cancer Registry Valerie MillerUniversity of MS Health Care Freddie White-JohnsonUSM/Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation Angela JohnsonMy Brother’s Keeper, Inc. Annie BakerUniversity of MS Medical Center Connie LittleJackson State University Marinelle PaytonJackson State University