CDC Funds NCLR Initiative to Stop Cervical Cancer Among Lainas

NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, today announced the start of a community-based health program funded and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mujer Sana, Familia Fuerte (Healthy Woman, Strong Family) is a five-year project designed to increase knowledge of and change cultural attitudes toward cervical cancer screening among Latina women.

Latinas are disproportionately affected by cervical cancer. Hispanic women have the highest rates of new cases of cervical cancer and the second highest death rate from the disease. Latinas are almost twice as likely as white women to die from cervical cancer. A simple Pap test can mean the difference between a diagnosis that can lead to treatment or a deadly disease gone undetected. The program seeks to increase the number of Hispanic women over age 18 who receive Pap tests in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC.

“The importance of awareness and knowledge cannot be underestimated when it comes to cervical cancer,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía. “We thank the CDC for supporting an initiative that can save the lives of many Latinas.”

The health education program will be led by the NCLR Institute for Hispanic Health. The program will use the promotores de salud (lay health educators) model to reach the Hispanic women most at risk. The CDC will also provide technical assistance through two of its REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) Centers of Excellence in Eliminating Health Disparities programs at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center.

From: www.nclr.org

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