Efficacy Study of a Group-Based Promotora Intervention to Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Among Immigrant Latina Women

Background: This study evaluates the feasibility and efficacy of a promotora-led, Spanish-language educational group session on cervical cancer screening (Pap tests), self-efficacy (belief in ability to schedule and complete a Pap test), and knowledge among Latina immigrants compared to a control condition. Methods: The group-based promotora intervention, Salud es Vida, consisted of a toolkit of materials which includes a curriculum guide, a brochure, a flipchart, a short animated video, and in-class activities. Data from baseline and follow-up/post-intervention surveys were used to assess differences in obtaining a Pap test using the Chi-square test of independence and in self-efficacy and knowledge scores using t-tests. Results: We recruited 38 women to the intervention and 52 women to the control who were due for Pap test screening. After an average of 8 months until the follow-up assessment, twelve (32%) intervention participants received the Pap test and 10 (19%) control participants received the Pap test (p = .178). At follow-up, the intervention group participants had higher total cervical cancer knowledge and higher self-efficacy scores, adjusting for the posttest scores, respectively (p\u27s \u3c .05). Conclusions: The findings from this feasibility study using a group intervention approach suggest intervention efficacy for increasing cervical cancer knowledge and self-efficacy; however, these secondary outcomes alone were not sufficient to increase cervical cancer screening rates in this Latina immigrant population during the study period