The development of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention

Abstract

The primary objective of this article was to describe the development and pilot implementation of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention. The intervention was guided by a preliminary study of incarcerated women's cervical health knowledge, awareness, and health literacy, as well as a social and feminist approach to intervention development. We developed and conducted a pilot implementation of the Sexual Health Empowerment Project to increase cervical health knowledge, reduce barriers related to beliefs about cervical cancer, and improve self-efficacy and confidence in navigating health systems. This article offers a framework for how empirically and theory-based interventions are developed and tailored for a jail setting. Future work should include the evaluation of the long-term effects of such a disease-specific program on health behaviors and outcomes among high-risk and vulnerable groups of women as they leave jails and enter communities.

Keywords: cancer prevention and control; cervical cancer; health disparities; health promotion; minority health; women’s health.

© 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Figures

Figure 1

Key Components of Sexual Health Empowerment Intervention (S.H.E. Project)