Patient navigators deployed as part of a state program have proved to be effective in increasing screening rates for breast and cervical cancer among women in rural areas in Texas. The state program combines cancer education through “pink parties” and contact with trained navigators who guide participants through a complex and often fragmented healthcare system, and help reduce screening barriers such as cost and transportation. Doctoral candidate Derek Falk and professors Catherine Cubbin and Barbara Jones conducted this research, which was published on the Journal of Cancer Education.
