Context
This project is a collaboration of the CPO Piemonte (Epidemiology Unit), the Centre of Transcultural psychology of the Pastorale Migranti association, the Cooperativa sociale Orso and some members of the Albanian community in Turin engaged in improvement of health of their countrymen.
Objectives
The project, financed by Piedmont Region, aimed to identify factors that encourage Albanian women to participate in cervical screening in order to develop an awareness campaign tailored to their needs, expectations and socio-cultural characteristics.
Activities
Thanks to the support of some representatives of the Albanian communities in Piedmont, a network of relationships has been created with women and cultural mediators, that have been involved during all the project.
A qualitative survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews (questionnaire) among Albanian women inTurin, Alessandria, Novara and Cuneo and 2 focus groups involving Albanian women (participants or not participants to Prevenzione Serena), health care and screening operators and cultural mediators were organised.
Semi-structured interviews
The anonymous questionnaire was designed to investigate the knowledge of Albanian women about cancer, performance of screening tests (Pap smears and mammograms), the programme 'Prevention Serena' and attitudes toward diseases and prevention. 166 interviews were conducted in the cities of Alessandria, Cuneo, Novara and Turin. The interviews indicated that 38% of women have never done a Pap test and the main reasons are the lack of information, time and culture of prevention. The 58% of respondents know the free screening programme 'Prevention Serena' but 22% of women receiving the invitation letter do not attend the programme for the prevention of cervical cancer. One of the reasons for non-adherence includes the difficulty of understanding the Italian language. On the contrary, attending women declared they have been very satisfied. Almost all women (91%) say it is much more simple and familiar to make cancer prevention in Italy rather than in Albania because of the presence of free and organised screening programmes with a wider access for the population and a greater confidence in Italian Health Service.
Focus-group
Both women and health operators identified social conditions (both in the country of origin and here in Italy), length of residence and culture of origin (health taboos, fears and negative attitudes) as major factors hindering to screening attendance. Both groups have therefore emphasized the need to promote a ‘culture of health’ with the support of cultural mediators and the production of bilingual material. Finally, they considered important also spreading information about cancer prevention for non-residents women.
The awareness campaign
Based on the results of questionnaires and focus groups, an awareness campaign was carried out through a brochure and a postcard, both bilingual (Italian and Albanian languages). The distribution of the material took place mainly during meetings of the Albanian community. The image of the campaign takes the faces of three Albanian women aged between 30 and 60 years in which the Albanian female population declared they recognize. The brochure gives general information on the prevention of cervical cancer, Pap tests and the results and organizational and logistical information on how to participate in screening.
The seminar
On 21 October 2011, a seminar entitled "Immigrants and screening: new people, new challenges" was organized with the aim of dealing with issues of immigration, health and cancer screening and present and discuss the results of the project. The conference was attended by many experts in the field like screening operators, cultural mediators, community leaders, etc.