During the 2008 hispanic health festival tour, Celebra La Vida Con Salud expanded its presentation of a Cervical Cancer/HPV education zone focusing on the causes and prevention of cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV). The rate of cervical cancer is approximately 50% higher among Hispanic women than among non-Hispanic white women in the United States.
According to one of the most comprehensive studies of HPV prevalence, recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
• One in four U.S. women age 14 to 59 is infected with HPV, or 26.6%.
• Women aged 20 to 24 had the highest overall HPV prevalence in the study, 44.8%.
• Cervical cancer will be diagnosed in an estimated 11,150 women this year, and about 3,670 will die from it.
The exhibit, sponsored by Merck & Co., Inc., includes a Cantahistoria ---a three-panel mural display, personal testimony from cervical cancer survivors, “La Loteria” Mexican Bingo game, and consultation with health care professionals from local clinics to discuss cervical cancer and HPV prevention and treatment options.
The Cervical Cancer/HPV education zone was presented at six Celebra health festivals during the 2007 tour. Thousands of latino women, men and teenagers took part in the panel discussions about HPV and cervical cancer and joined in the fun playing “La Loteria” to win an IPOD. They also listened to the personal stories of women who had experienced cervical cancer; how they detected it, how they survived it and advice they had for women about what they can do to protect themselves from getting cervical cancer. Surveys indicate that women and men who participated in the education zone significantly increased their understanding about cervical cancer and HPV. One festival participant said, “The exhibit on cervical cancer and HPV was wonderful. When I walked in I didn’t know the answers to the questions. But when I finished I had learned a lot. It was very interesting and now I understand what I need to do in order to protect myself and my daughter from getting these illnesses.”
Last year the Cervical Cancer education zone will be presented at eight Celebra health festivals in Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, New York, Boston, San Diego, Houston and Miami.
Health educator at the Cantahistoria discussing cervical cancer. Nurse practitioner playing “La Loteria” with festival participants.
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