Abstract 2442: Community-based participatory research leads to sustainable lifestyle intervention program for reducing breast cancer risk among African American and Latina women

Breast cancer mortality rates are higher among African American (AA) women in San Bernardino County (SBC) at 36.31 per 100,000 women compared with white women in the same region, as well as with California breast cancer rates and the national averages. In addition, approximately 30% of individuals in SBC are obese. Mortality rates for diabetes in SBC between 2009 -2011 were 33 per 100,000 adults. Recent literature suggests an association between obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The insulin-leptin adiponectin axis has been implicated in these breast tumors that are insensitive to estrogen. TNBC is common among premenopausal AA and Latina women and is unclear whether overweight women or those with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for breast cancer. Engaging minority AA and Latina women in clinical research has been difficult. Mistrust of doctors and scientists is reported as a barrier to participation. In this pilot study, community-based participatory (CBPR) methods were used to study women's perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards participating in a breast cancer clinical study. Methods: A CBPR mixed-methods approach, including a 6-month lifestyle intervention education program was employed. Participants were recruited using purposive convenience sampling. To evaluate the effectiveness of the lifestyle intervention educational program, we used knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and perception-based questionnaire to assess changes before and after the educational experience. Results: Fifty eight women that included 36 African American and 22 Latina women participated in the educational program, out of which twenty five women were recruited into the lifestyle intervention program that required providing blood to test for metabolic syndrome and risk for breast cancer. All the women in the intervention study were willing to provide blood for the study. Seventy six percent of the women in the lifestyle intervention program were either obese or experienced metabolic syndrome. At the end of six months, 78% of the women who participated in the study reduced their body fat by 2% change, by reducing dietary fat consumption. Approximately 93% of the women increased servings of fruits and vegetables in their diet and engaged in some form of exercise after their enrollment into the study. This program is currently sustained by community support groups, after the end of the grant. Conclusion: Community-based participatory research projects that engage community partners through the entire process of research planning and conduct may result in effective sustainable projects that will result in resilient communities. Funding supported by Kaiser Permanente Fontana Community Benefit Grant.Citation Format: Padma P. Tadi Uppala, Hildemaar Dos Santos, Amanda Dupre, Persila Mohammadnia, Maheswari Senthil. Community-based participatory research leads to sustainable lifestyle intervention program for reducing breast cancer risk among African American and Latina women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2442. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2442