Replication and Dissemination of a Cancer Education Model for African American Women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of replicating an evidence-based model, the Witness Project, for increasing breast and cervical cancer screening with African American women in a variety of locations and organizations in the United States. The quantitative and qualitative methods included a cadre of process and outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the four-phase replication process. The intervention was replicated in 25 sites with 401 volunteers, delivering cancer education and screening programs to over 10,000 women. Key components and criteria of successful replication were established, and preliminary screening outcomes demonstrated a 43.4% increase in mammography in women aged 40 and older. This study demonstrates that the Witness Project model can be effectively replicated, that the replication process can be standardized, and that the replication sites were able to obtain positive screening results comparable to the original intervention outcomes. The model was not able to be effectively replicated with just the "turnkey" toolbox approach, but required additional technical assistance.