Breast cancer education for Navajo women: a pilot study evaluating a culturally relevant video.

This pilot study evaluated a culturally specific video designed to teach Navajo women about breast cancer treatment options. Fourteen Navajo women diagnosed with breast cancer and 26 healthcare providers participated in a mixed-method evaluation that documented their perceptions immediately and 6 months after viewing the video. After initial viewing, women reported reduced anxiety about treatment and interest in support groups.

Breast cancer education for Native American women: creating culturally relevant communications.

In the Navajo language, the word for cancer translates as the sore that does not heal. This literal linkage to a sense of hopelessness reflects a cultural perspective that impedes cancer detection in its early, more treatable stages. As a coauthor of this article and a Navajo breast cancer survivor, Nellie Sandoval, BS, MS, explains that the very topic of cancer is taboo to discuss among the Navajo population, for to speak of cancer is to invite it.