As previously noted, the 2014 publication WHO Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Control includes a chapter on Community mobilization, education and counselling, which is especially relevant to our discussion.
The full publication is freely available here: https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/98beead0-4aca-431a-88a9-...
The key points are listed as follows:
- Outreach, community mobilization, health education and counselling are essential components of an effective cervical cancer prevention and control programme to ensure high vaccination coverage, high screening coverage and high adherence to treatment.
- Outreach strategies must reach and engage young girls and women who would most benefit from vaccination and screening, respectively, as well as men and boys and leaders in the community, and key stakeholders.
- Community mobilization and health education are essential tools for overcoming common challenges that impede access to and utilization of preventive care; these common barriers include social taboos, language barriers, lack of information and
lack of transportation to service sites.
- Health education ensures that women, their families and the community at large understand that cervical cancer is preventable.
- Health education messages about cervical cancer should reflect the national policy and should be culturally appropriate and consistent at all levels of the health system.
- Health-care facilities should have a private room that can be used to provide individual women with information and counselling, if appropriate, to help them make the best choices for their health.
- Health-care providers should be trained to discuss sexuality in a nonjudgemental way and to address issues related to cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) while protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.
- It is critical that educational messages emphasize that women with abnormal screening results must return for follow-up.
'This chapter consists of five main sections. Section 3.1, Increasing the use of cervical cancer prevention and control services, serves as an introduction to the subject of this chapter, with a focus on the central role of health-care providers. The remaining sections, on Outreach (section 3.2), Community mobilization (section 3.3), Preventive health education (section 3.4) and Counselling (section 3.5), provide information on the most effective approaches and key messages for each of these efforts, including helpful resources for implementing them. The transmission of consistent messages requires good communication skills and the use of nontechnical language appropriate to the target population.'
Section 3.1: Increasing the use of cervical cancer prevention and control services. This section is 2 pages. It talks about the role of the healthcare provider and 'characteristics and communication skills of an effective health educator' but I think it lacks practical how-to information. This may come in later sections which we shall look at next.
Looking at the Preface, it says: 'This publication, Comprehensive cervical cancer control: a guide to essential practice (C4GEP), gives a broad vision of what a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer prevention and control means'. We shall learn in due course if it also provides practical guidance for individual healthcare providers. If not, does WHO (or other organisations) publish practical guidance in this area? Please let us know.
We would also be interested to hear from anyone involved in developing this publication back in 2014, and anyone who has used it. Your insights and feedback would be very welcome.
Many thanks, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org