MSU Healthy Hispanic Education Program Recognized with Award

Kalamazoo, Mich.- Studies have shown that Hispanic/Latino women tend to be diagnosed with both breast and cervical cancers at later stages than non-Hispanic women. For Hispanic women, breast cancer is the most frequent form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths. Cervical cancer for Hispanic women is approximately twice the rate of non-Hispanic women.

The Healthy Hispanic Program, an educational partnership with Borgess Health Allicance and Michigan State University, identified the importance of employing a bilingual, bicultural community educator to deliver an innovative educational program in our community. Alma Sifuentes, program coordinator, has increased the knowledge regarding risk factors for 383 Hispanic/Latino women in 2006. All these women have learned how to perform a self-breast examination and now understand the importance of annual breast and cervical cancer screening.

Educational outreach has included exhibits at health fairs, health centers, and community events where culturally appropriate instructional materials were distributed. The community coordinator then provides individual counseling. Hispanic/Latino women learned how to find service providers to obtain initial screenings and, for those women who lacked medical coverage, Alma provided assistance so they were able to enroll into the Medicaid program. The program also identifies challenges for Hispanic/Latino women at a systems level to receive health care services, and develops and implements strategies for decreasing health disparities among this growing population.

Recently, MSU acknowledged this innovative program with the MSU Extension Diversity award recognizing the project for innovative programming. This award highlighted the importance of increasing Hispanic women’s knowledge of breast and cervical cancer risk factors and to obtain regular breast and cervical cancer screening.

For more information about this unique program, please contact Ann Nieuwenhuis at 384-8057 or nieuwen1@msu.edu ,or contact Alma Sifuentes at 383-6446 or via email at sifuent5@msu.edu.

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MSU Extension is an Affirmative-Action Equal-Opportunity Institution. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status.

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