Storytelling to Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening

Through this program, community health advisors use storytelling to educate Latina women about the risks posed by colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality among Latina women, in part due to low rates of screening participation leading to late-stage detection. The health advisors, or promotoras, are members of the community who use storytelling as a face-to-face, culturally appropriate narrative method to promote prevention and screening. Participants listen to a story in English or Spanish, read by the promotora in dramatic style, that teaches about general cancer risk, screening guidelines, and how to reduce lifestyle behavioral risks related to nutrition and physical activity.

The goal of this program is to use storytelling to increase colorectal cancer screening and improve nutrition and physical activity among underserved Latina women.

In a randomized, controlled trial, participants in the intervention group were compared to women who received a risk tool-based intervention. Women in the storytelling group had significantly higher mean scores for intent to obtain endoscopy (p = 0.038) and to recommend endoscopy to others (p = 0.011) when compared to the control group. All participants expressed intent to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Post-intervention perceptions of cancer risk and fear of colorectal cancer were not significantly different between groups, however pre- to post-intervention perception of risk increased in the storytelling group and decreased in the control group.