Pinzon-Perez uses theater in breast cancer study

Using a grant from the Office for Community Service and Civic Engagement at Fresno State, Dr. Helda Pinzon-Perez used community theater to educate and motivate male Latino farmworkers to become active promoters of health messages regarding breast cancer prevention in their families.

Breast cancer prevention is currently one of the top priorities in public health. Hispanics have been found to be at greater risk of mortality due to late-stage diagnosis and treatment. Often, women have been in charge of protecting the health of the family. In the traditional Latino view, males have adopted a passive role in the prevention of disease and the promotion of health in the family environment. Research has shown that males could play a major role in Latino women’s decision to adopt preventive actions. 

Pinzon-Perez, associate professor in the Health Science Department, was awarded the grant in spring 2005 to develop a community-based participatory research in which the community members and the research team were active partners in the decision-making process. The study conducted through this grant was based on the fundamental understanding that community members can be seen as “research experts” since they have more knowledge of the reality of their community and their cultural characteristics than academicians or institutional representatives.

Empowerment of farm-working males as community researchers was an essential component of this initiative, in which each member of the team (farm-working males, Migrant Head Start representatives and Fresno State faculty and students) co-generated knowledge about the problem and jointly conducted the research.

This study had two major goals: (1) To determine the changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors of Latino farm-working males living in Fresno county regarding breast cancer early detection techniques used by their female sexual partners (breast self-examination, annual clinical exam, mammography) when using community theaters; and (2) To involve Latino farm-working males as community researchers by developing their knowledge base of identification of needs and participatory research techniques for rural communities, through the methodology of community theaters. 

This study included three phases: (1)  selection and training of research team; (2)  Development of two study circles with Latino male farmworkers living in Fresno County to determine their knowledge level, attitudes, and behaviors related to their female partners’ compliance with health recommendations such as monthly breast self-examination, annual clinical exam, and mammography; and (3) Development of  community theater presentations on the role that Latino males can play in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

Three theater presentations by male Latino farmworkers and Fresno state students were given to communities in Fresno, Parlier and Selma. In these presentations, community members at large and representatives from Migrant Head Start were able to know the results of the study.

 The results of this study indicated significant improvement in the knowledge levels of participants about breast cancer prevention and early detection.  The results also indicated significant positive outcomes in terms of attitudes and behaviors of the participating males regarding breast cancer prevention and early detection for their wives and sexual partners. 

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