Assessment of the impact of cervical cancer prevention educational videos for Quechua- and Spanish-speaking Peruvian women

OBJECTIVE. Women who speak Quechua have high rates of cervical cancer. Because Quechua is an unwritten language, typical educational materials do not exist. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a culturally sensitive cervical cancer prevention video on indigenous women seeking cervical cancer screening in Peru. METHODS. Quechua- and Spanish-speaking women were enrolled in the study in Pitumarca and Cusco, Peru. Approximately one half watched a cervical cancer educational video. All subjects completed a preexamination and postexamination questionnaire that assessed knowledge and attitudes about Pap tests and had vital signs measured. Subjects who watched the video also completed a postvideo questionnaire. One-way analysis of variance and 2-factor, repeated-measures, mixed-model analysis of covariance were used to analyze outcomes. RESULTS. Complete data were available for 343 subjects. Postexamination knowledge scores were significantly higher than preexamination scores for Spanish-speaking women who watched the video (p =.002). There was no change for women who spoke Quechua. In the Quechua-speaking group, postvideo preparedness means were significantly higher than at preexamination (p <.0001) and postexamination (p =.0001). When Quechua- and Spanish-speaking women were asked, 87.2% and 90% liked the video, 83.6% and 84.8% thought it was helpful, and 97.4% and 100% thought other women should watch the video, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Although the culturally sensitive videos had less impact on knowledge, attitudes, and physiologic responses than expected, women greatly appreciated the educational intervention. Use of these videos may help to reduce the rate of cervical cancer in the Andes Mountains.