Grant: Operating Grant

Cervical cancer screening is free in Canada and is a highly effective in preventing the cancer. Chinese immigrants, a large, fast growing ethnic minority group in Canada (about 4% of the nation's population in 2006 Census), however, have an appreciably lower usage rate of cervical cancer screening and at a higher risk of cervical cancer, compared to the general population of Canada. To make the nation's cervical cancer screening program effective overall, we must address this health disparity in high-risk populations such as female Chinese immigrants. In the proposed project, we attempt to disseminate, using Internet, an education package that has been proven to be highly effective in previous research studies for promoting the screening among Chinese immigrants. The package contains culturally-tailored and linguistically-appropriate education materials (video, pamphlet, motivational brochure, and local clinic information) and this will be combined with navigation assistance provided by a local Chinese community service center, ASSIST. We will evaluate the public health impact of the dissemination using an evaluation framework called RE-AIM that considers practicality and feasibility in assessing impacts. Our team has extensive relevant experiences and expertise to conduct this research. With strengths rendered by Internet, the 3-team collaboration (our research team, ASSIST community organization, and Alberta Health Services provincial healthcare agency) aims to reach a large number of local Chinese immigrants and increase their uptake of cervical cancer screening. With results from the RE-AIM evaluation, it also aims to inform other provinces and cities for future implementations of similar dissemination for their potential impact, resource requirements, feasibility, and sustainability.