Application: Promoting Positive Health Behaviors
One strategy that has proven effective for improving population health outcomes is
screening. Screening programs for breast, cervical, prostate, and colon cancer allow for
early detection and treatment, thereby improving health outcomes. Advocates of early
screening programs have sought to inform populations at risk of the value of participating
in early screening.
Consider the following examples: In Florida, mobile mammography units have reached out
to uninsured women and provided free mammograms. In Maryland, Wellmobiles go out
into the community to provide primary and preventive health care services to
geographically underserved communities and uninsured individuals across the state. Many
such programs are available for individuals to participate in screening, regardless of ability
to pay.
In this Assignment, you will evaluate the characteristics of preventive health programs that
lead to successful outcomes.
To prepare:
Review the article “Improving Female Preventive Health Care Delivery Through Practice
Change” found in this week’s Learning Resources. Consider why the Every Woman
Matters program was not effective in meeting its goals.
Using the Walden Library and other credible websites, identify at least two successful
advocacy programs for early cancer screening and evaluate the characteristics that made
them effective based on the evidence presented in the article or website.
To complete:
Write a 3- to 5-page paper that includes the following:
Summarize the Every Woman Matters program and how the issue of women’s preventive
health care was approached. Analyze possible reasons the program was ineffective.
Summarize the characteristics at least two prevention programs that advocate for early
screening, describing what made them successful.
If you were the nurse leader in charge of developing a follow-up to the Every Woman
Matters program, what strategies would you propose for creating a more effective
prevention program?
Backer, E. L., Geske, J. A., McIlvain, H. E., Dodendorf, D. M., & Minier, W. C. (2005).
Improving female preventive health care delivery through practice change: An Every
Woman Matters study. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 18(5), 401-408.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 2
The Ineffectiveness of Every Woman Matters Program
Summary of Every Woman Matters Program
Cervical cancer is an important health problem among women in growing nations.
Contributing to this menace of cervical cancer health problem in many nations is the lack of
understanding and political determination to tackle the problem. Far-reaching advocacy efforts
that draw on research and program discoveries from growing nations setting are central to
achieving program and policy support. A new invention of mediums that deal with new
approaches to cervical cancer avoidance and the effect of intermittent interventions has improved
understanding about the possible cost-friendly prevention system in growing nations (Sheriss et
al 2005). Early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancer lessened the burden of disease in women.
The practices of screening have indicated that it is possible to reduce and enhance quality of life.
The Every Woman Matters campaign started in 1992 is a federally-sponsored program designed
to expunge in impediment to early screening by offering awareness and make screening more
financially available to women who have restricted or no health cover. Those women who are
qualified receive compensation for office visit with affiliated clinical breast assessment, pelvic
assessment, papanicolaou smear test, and lab fees. Age-suitable mammography and restricted
number of diagnostic test is as well covered under the program.
Reasons why the program was ineffective
The practice of testing for disease has been found to save lives, lessen health care
expenses, and condense suffering. Intermittent tests for breast and cervical cancer has been
especially efficient in lessening the burden of disease in women. Nonetheless, testing rates in
many practices fail to meet the set thresholds, as result this leaves patients at redundant risk.
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 3
Impediments to the testing occur at many levels including the patient, doctor, and the practice
programs. Every Woman Matters program was successful in enhancing cervical cancer for
patients approached the matter in a methodical manner, with painstaking concentration on the
aspects that have a considerable impact on efficiently testing a targeted population. However
clinics may vary in certain workflow, documentation, and personnel mediums, organizations that
experience successful advancement efforts shared the following three essential characteristics
(Becker et al 2005).
Characteristics of prevention programs
Unambiguous direction
Successful establishments discovered that it is significant to identify plainly what they are
attempting to achieve. Most frequently in enhancement activity, management explains the goal
that guides an organization’s efforts. An objective is drafted, quantifiable, and time-conscious
declaration of the achievements a group anticipated to accomplish from its advancement efforts.
The objectives declaration consists of a wide-ranging illustration of the work, the program of
focus, and numerical aims. Assessing what other accomplished offers suitable perspective for
selecting the geometric segment of an institution’s objective. Whilst the goal of 100 percent of
patient finalizing on the cervical cancer testing with Pap screening is most favorable, any
establishment has the potential to lay out suitable and rational objectives on the basis of the
review of comparable information after putting into account financier assortment of the patient
population attended to. Simply put, for some procedures it is perhaps likely to discover cases of
benchmark information, which illustrates the performance of the optimal practice. It is essential
to put into account an institution’s specific patient populace when carrying out assessments to
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 4
other accomplishments. An establishment’s may take into consideration socioeconomic position
and race of the populace served, accessibility of screening, amid other measure in attempt to
accomplish a precise evaluation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997).
Practical infrastructure for quality advancement
Successful establishments discovered that advancement task needs a methodological
approach to quantifying performance, testing minute transformations, and tracing the effect of
those transformations as time goes by. It is also important to plan in an attempt to change.
Transformation is by nature, unsettling for some and presenting a plain direction and approach
can be guaranteeing. Many organizations which have experienced quality advancement took on
approaches to assist them organize their achievements. As the quality improvement team
approaches advancement of cervical cancer testing rates, it must utilize quality mediums
presented supporters by its organization. However, there is no sole medium that is regarded as
correct. Institutional position of approach is rational from the context of effective training. A
persistent quality advancement methodology and the sharing of enhancement notions amid
members of a quality team has the potential of enabling the replication of quality improvement
events throughout an establishment and maximize the effect of the overall program.
Devotion from the management
For quality advancement activities to be fruitful and efficient, the management should
demonstrate devotion to them. Characteristically, managers could make a devotion to particular
target fields for enhancement once they put into consideration the general requirements of the
institution. Managers must regard quality advancement activities as an add-on. This way, the
leaders may be incapable of sustaining quality improvement as a priority as other actualities
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 5
compete for the establishment’s consideration and funds. The quality improvement department
is required to have leadership devotion articulated in a physical manner. Most frequently, it is a
clear commitment of funds, which might consist of the team meeting time, information support,
and certain planned chances that communicate actionable advancement recommendations to the
organization’s management.
Scientific proof through clinical tests has indicated that mammography testing lessens the
mortality and morbidity linked with breast cancer. A lot of research has shown the advantages of
occasional screening in detecting early tumors in women of all age brackets. Some studies claim
that testing programs that consist of mammography can generate up to 31 percent diminution in
breast cancer mortality. However, achieving this national objective of diminishing morbidity and
premature demise from breast cancer, a far-ranging inclusive coverage of mammography testing
is required amid older women in each society throughout the U.S. There is an ongoing
homogenous debate between scientists and health specialists where bother teams appear to agree
that women 50 years and older must obtain mammography screening every 1-2 years. On the
other hand, systematic commendations for increasing testing are required by both public and
private sector establishments.
Strategies for effective prevention methods
In creating successful plans, institutions must take into account their infrastructure, not only
straight outreach, as means to bring women in (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
1997). Especially health strategies with a selected group of patrons will discover in reach more
effective than outreach. However, there are manifolds reasons which make the program
ineffective, such as sophisticated institution’s systems, carry out multiplicity in their missions,
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 6
the distinct individual uniqueness, the accessibility of funds to put into practice and the
regulation they have in their hands, and their management and teamwork potential. On the
whole, cervical cancer is an essential health challenge amid women across the world, and
particularly in developing nations. Institutions are required to think extensively about
collaborations to reach undeserved and far-flung communities. Since health care is not the
central worry of individuals with sophisticated lives, funders cannot presume that these women
will seek care (Sheriss, 2005).
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EVERY WOMAN MATTERS PROGRAM 7
References
Backer, E. L., Geske, J. A., McIlvain, H. E., Dodendorf, D. M., & Minier, W. C. (2005).
“Improving female preventive health care delivery
through practice change: An Every Woman Matters study.” Journal of the American
Board of Family Practice, 18(5), 401-408.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1997). Reaching Women for Mammography
Screening.