The Vietnamese Cancer Awareness Research and Education Society, or VN CARES, a UC Davis student-run clinic, is partnering with the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center to create virtual breast cancer outreach for Asian American women in the Sacramento area. The educational series, called Screen 2 Screen, is funded by the Safeway Foundation.
Screen 2 Screen is part of the cancer center’s research investigating effective ways to use culturally sensitive, evidence-based outreach to increase breast cancer screening rates in Asian communities. Asian American women age 40 and over in the Sacramento region are eligible to participate in Screen 2 Screen.
Despite an overall decline in breast cancer mortality rates, breast cancer rates among Asian American women have remained constant. Persistently higher incidence of breast cancer may be the result of lower rates of breast cancer screenings among Asian American women. Due to screening delays, many Asian American women are not diagnosed until cancer has advanced to later stages, compared to earlier cancer detection among other racial and ethnic groups. “We hope that by offering in-language, culturally tailored breast cancer health education and free mammography, we can meet women where they are and, ultimately, lower breast cancer rates in Asian American communities,” said Julie Dang, executive director of the cancer center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages women 40–44 years of age to consider getting a mammogram, and recommends annual mammograms by age 45. ACS says that by age 55, women can make the transition to mammography in alternating years or can continue annual mammograms if that seems advisable.
Participants will not only learn about breast health, but also will receive a Screen 2 Screen information kit in the mail, as well as a $20 gift card for their time and participation. Future virtual Screen 2 Screen educational sessions and information kits will be in Chinese, Hmong, Korean and Vietnamese.
As a follow-up, a research team member will call the session participants to ask if they would like to schedule a mammogram appointment. For questions and more information on Screen 2 Screen, please email obgyncommitteecod@gmail.com or call 916-734-5371.
