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. 2023 Dec;32(6):1226-1231.
doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1793. Epub 2023 Sep 25.

Promotores' perspectives on the virtual adaptation of a hereditary breast cancer education program

Fabian Perez  1   2 , Miriam Hernandez  3 , Alejandra Martinez  4 , Patricia Castaneda  3 , Raquel Ponce  3 , Maria Gonzalez  3 , Cindia Martinez  3 , Angelica Perez  2 , Juanita Elizabeth Quino  5 , Eric Robles Garibay  6 , Valentina A Zavala  1   2 , Xiaosong Huang  1   2 , Susan L Neuhausen  7 , Elad Ziv  8 , Luis Carvajal-Carmona  9 , Ysabel Duron  10 , Laura Fejerman  1   2
Affiliations

Promotores' perspectives on the virtual adaptation of a hereditary breast cancer education program

Fabian Perez et al. J Genet Couns. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States (U.S.) and the leading cause of cancer related death among U.S. Hispanics/Latinas (H/Ls). H/Ls have lower rates of screening and longer time to follow up after an abnormal mammogram. We developed a comprehensive community health educator (promotores)-led education and risk identification program for Spanish-speaking H/Ls in California to increase mammography screening, genetic testing, and the understanding of the impact of family history on cancer risk. Due to COVID-19, we adapted the program to a virtual platform. The experience of transforming the program to a virtual platform provided unique opportunities for collaboration between researchers, community partners, and participants. Promotores are major partners in community based participatory research and in the provision of health care services, but their voices are often excluded from scientific reports. This commentary is an effort to provide a platform for promotores to share their experiences and for the readers to understand their approach in bridging the gap between health care services and communities.

Keywords: promotores; family history; health literacy; health promotion; hereditary breast cancer; underrepresented populations.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interests: All authors have no conflicts of interest to report

References

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Supplementary concepts