Family History and Breast Cancer Education Trial

The overall goal of this study is to reduce breast cancer morbidity and mortality disparities among African American women by actively engaging family history as a tool to modify screening regimens and enhance communication between women and their providers. Therefore, this rationale is reflected the project title: "You cannot change your family history, but you can change what you do with it: A peer-based education program to reduce breast cancer risk in African American women" This study will develop and test an educational curriculum that highlights the importance of knowing family history and sharing it with health care providers. The curriculum will include tools to gather family history and discuss it with providers to guide the delivery of care. The investigators will assess the effectiveness of the curriculum in group and one-on-one settings and when delivered by a Patient Ambassador (peer train-the trainer model) or a researcher. The specific objectives of the study are to: Obj. 1: Develop a CBPR-based curriculum- using a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach, that highlights the importance of family history as a risk factor for breast cancer that includes tools to collect family history information and discuss it with providers to enable a family history based screening regimen. Obj. 2: Train Patient Ambassadors- Patient Ambassadors, women from the community who act as community messengers to deliver the curriculum. Obj. 3: Pilot Implementation and Extensive Evaluation of the Curriculum- Assess two modes of delivery, group vs one-on-one, and Peer Ambassadors vs. a researcher. Obj. 4: Dissemination- of the curricular products, implementation pilot results, and implementation guides for communities and practices- via publications and other channels in preparation for grant submits to enhance the program.