Abstract B6: Project toolbox: A practice-based model to address cancer health disparities

Background: Equipping community members with the knowledge and skills to train their peers in health education strategies is a well established practice. Building on this idea, Project Toolbox was established to train professional and lay health educators to increase knowledge and awareness among African American and Latina women. Objective: Project Toolbox is designed to employ the influence of community stakeholders throughout Florida to provide community members with the resources and skills and facilitate education and training that impacts breast cancer health disparities by encouraging early steps to prevention through mammogram screenings, clinical breast exams and breast self exams. Methods: Utilizing a framework built upon the Social Cognitive Theory, Social Networks and Social Support Theories, principles of adult learning as well as the Health Belief and Ecological Models, the Project Toolbox curriculum and subsequent trainings were designed to provide a comprehensive, yet concise method of disseminating information to trainees. Grassroots organizations, local churches, and state and local health departments participate or recruit participants for the trainings. The Toolbox training was strategically promoted throughout rural and inner city counties of Florida to target agencies and individuals who work with underserved communities, specifically African-American and Latina women. Target areas have been divided into regions to include the Panhandle, Central, Northern, and Southern Florida. Project Toolbox training is implemented during a 1-day training, in which participants are instructed on the following topics: breast cancer symptoms, risk factors and preventive screenings; adult learning and health literacy; culture; the fundamentals of presentation; resource development; data collection and community collaboration. Discussion, roleplaying, mock presentation and survey assessment is conducted. Pre- and Post- test questionnaires are administered to assess participant knowledge and findings are used to amend the Toolbox where necessary. Toolbox materials are in English and Spanish and include a DVD, tailored brochures, teaching sheets and a teaching flipchart. Results: Trainings have been conducted in three Florida counties, the Central and Panhandle target areas, with trainings scheduled in at least three additional counties, covering Northern and Southern Florida. Trainer satisfaction rate is 96.13% and pre-test post-test results indicate an average of 21% (range −10%–70%) improvement in participant knowledge scores. Trainees rate preparedness to apply training at 100%. Conclusions: Project Toolbox is a qualitatively and quantitatively validated mechanism to equip professional and lay health advisors with the cancer prevention and awareness information to train others and disseminate knowledge and skills to improve cancer health disparities.