Faith in Action! Church-based Navigation for Breast Cancer Screening

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Gillian Gresham, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Non-Korean, Under 45, Breast cancer, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

320 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this research is to develop a culturally adapted "Faith in Action!" curriculum to train lay health navigators to provide breast cancer screening navigation to Korean American women within faith-based settings and evaluate whether the culturally adapted "Faith in Action!" curriculum increases adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines among Korean American women within faith-based settings in Los Angeles, California. The primary research procedures include trainings and key informant interviews with lay health navigators in faith-based settings followed by a cluster randomized trial to evaluate the intervention.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Faith in Action! Church-based Navigation Model treatment?

Research shows that church-based programs can be effective in improving health outcomes. For example, a church-based diabetes program helped participants manage their diabetes better, and faith-based settings have been successful in promoting healthy eating and physical activity. These findings suggest that similar church-based approaches, like the Faith in Action! model, could be effective for breast cancer screening. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Faith in Action! Church-based Navigation Model treatment different from other breast cancer screening treatments?

The Faith in Action! Church-based Navigation Model is unique because it uses a church-based approach to promote breast cancer screening, involving trained church members as peer health advisors to provide education and support. This community-focused method leverages existing social networks and spiritual settings to encourage participation and reduce barriers to screening, which is different from traditional medical settings. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Korean women aged 45 or older who are members of participating Korean churches in Los Angeles and haven't had a mammogram in the last two years. They should not currently have breast cancer but must be willing to participate in the study.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a Korean woman aged 45 or older.

I do not have a current diagnosis of breast cancer.

I am willing to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Does not meet inclusion criteria as described above

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training

Lay health navigators are trained using the 'Faith in Action!' curriculum to provide breast cancer screening navigation

4-6 weeks

Multiple training sessions

Intervention

Trained health navigators deliver cancer education and increase motivation for breast cancer screening in faith-based settings

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in breast cancer screening adherence and knowledge

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Faith in Action! Church-based Navigation Model

Trial Overview The 'Faith in Action!' program trains lay health navigators within churches to encourage Korean American women to follow breast cancer screening guidelines. The effectiveness of this culturally adapted curriculum will be compared with a control group through interviews and randomized trials.

Participant Groups

Group I: Faith in Action! Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A train-the-trainer approach will be used to educate lay health navigators to present the culturally adapted "Faith in Action!" curriculum and to provide breast cancer screening navigation to Korean American women within faith-based settings

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

A presentation of lifestyle recommendations (e.g., physical activity, nutrition) will be provided to control groups.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

523

Recruited

165,000+

California Breast Cancer Research Program

Collaborator

Trials

16

Recruited

4,500+

Findings from Research

A culturally appropriate, church-based intervention significantly improved diabetes self-management among African American participants, resulting in a 0.4% reduction in A1C levels at 8 months compared to a minimal intervention group.

Participants in the intervention group also reported better diabetes knowledge and quality of life, indicating that the program was not only effective in managing blood sugar but also well-received and acceptable to the community.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A randomized trial of a church-based diabetes self-management program for African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Samuel-Hodge, CD., Keyserling, TC., Park, S., et al.[2022]

Faith-based diabetes prevention programs have shown positive outcomes, including weight loss and better glucose control, highlighting the effectiveness of community support in managing diabetes.

Coaches in these programs emphasized the importance of spiritual interventions such as prayer, emotional support, and humor, suggesting that integrating these elements can enhance the effectiveness of diabetes management strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Faith Community Nursing: Using Spiritual Interventions in Diabetes Prevention. Long, SEP.[2021]

The Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) program achieved a church-level adoption rate of 11.7% and a congregant-level reach of 20.0%, indicating a moderate level of implementation in faith-based settings.

The study identified 14 pathways to adoption, with a strong emphasis on the importance of a culture of concern for congregant health and openness to new ideas among church leaders, suggesting these factors can enhance the likelihood of adopting health interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pathways of influences leading to adoption of the Faith, Activity and Nutrition (FAN) program in a statewide initiative. Hutto, B., Saunders, RP., Wilcox, S., et al.[2022]

Faith-based organizations can effectively implement health initiatives, as demonstrated by the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) program, which enrolled 93 out of 985 invited churches and achieved high completion rates for assessments over 12 months.

Implementation strategies, such as training for pastors and Community Health Advisors, significantly improved the development of healthy eating and physical activity policies within churches, indicating that structured support can enhance health promotion efforts in community settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of implementation strategies on implementation outcomes in a statewide dissemination of Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN). Saunders, RP., Wilcox, S., Hutto, B.[2023]

A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used to develop a faith-enhanced version of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) specifically for African American women, addressing their unique challenges with obesity and chronic diseases.

The study enrolled 221 participants from 12 churches and will evaluate the effectiveness of the faith-enhanced DPP over 16 weeks and a 10-month follow-up, aiming to improve weight, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community-based participatory research to design a faith-enhanced diabetes prevention program: The Better Me Within randomized trial. Kitzman, H., Dodgen, L., Mamun, A., et al.[2022]

The church-based educational program successfully engaged Latinas in cancer screening activities, with 97% of participants involved in the intervention and high attendance at educational sessions.

The program demonstrated feasibility and acceptability as a method to promote cancer screening, indicating that community settings like churches can effectively support health education and access to care for underserved populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot test of a church-based intervention to promote multiple cancer-screening behaviors among Latinas. Allen, JD., Pérez, JE., Tom, L., et al.[2021]

Faith community nurses (FCNs) successfully increased early breast cancer detection in rural and African American populations in midwestern Illinois by implementing flexible and culturally relevant educational programs.

The initiative not only surpassed participation goals, particularly among African American and Hispanic/Latino communities, but also highlighted the importance of community networking and engaging activities to enhance awareness and learning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fostering early breast cancer detection. Shackelford, JA., Weyhenmeyer, DP., Mabus, LK.[2022]

The study successfully recruited 45 churches and identified 1,967 eligible women for a mammography promotion trial, highlighting the effectiveness of community-based strategies and relationship-building over a 10-month period.

Engaging with churches and their members through targeted activities was essential for effective recruitment, especially among older and ethnically diverse populations in urban areas.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dealing with diversity: recruiting churches and women for a randomized trial of mammography promotion. Derose, KP., Hawes-Dawson, J., Fox, SA., et al.[2021]

An educational booklet on breast cancer early detection that incorporated spiritual themes was tested against a secular version, showing that both increased knowledge and reduced barriers to mammography among 108 African American women.

Participants who read the spiritually based booklet reported a greater increase in knowledge specifically about mammograms, suggesting that integrating spiritual elements may enhance the effectiveness of health education interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

As you go, spread the word: spiritually based breast cancer education for African American women. Holt, CL., Klem, PR.[2022]

The Fit Body and Soul intervention, adapted from a successful diabetes prevention program, aims to promote healthy lifestyle changes within African American communities through faith-based initiatives.

This 12-session program incorporates church missions and biblical scripture, leveraging the strong participation of African Americans in faith communities to influence health behaviors and practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fit body and soul: a church-based behavioral lifestyle program for diabetes prevention in African Americans. Dodani, S., Kramer, MK., Williams, L., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A randomized trial of a church-based diabetes self-management program for African Americans with type 2 diabetes. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Faith Community Nursing: Using Spiritual Interventions in Diabetes Prevention. [2021]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pathways of influences leading to adoption of the Faith, Activity and Nutrition (FAN) program in a statewide initiative. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of implementation strategies on implementation outcomes in a statewide dissemination of Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN). [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community-based participatory research to design a faith-enhanced diabetes prevention program: The Better Me Within randomized trial. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot test of a church-based intervention to promote multiple cancer-screening behaviors among Latinas. [2021]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fostering early breast cancer detection. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dealing with diversity: recruiting churches and women for a randomized trial of mammography promotion. [2021]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

As you go, spread the word: spiritually based breast cancer education for African American women. [2022]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fit body and soul: a church-based behavioral lifestyle program for diabetes prevention in African Americans. [2022]