Project Brotherhood Colorectal Cancer Prevention Train the Barbers in partnership with the American Cancer Society and supported by a generous grant by Walmart

Black men in the United States bear a disproportionate burden of cancer. Black men have a 20% higher incidence and a 40% higher death rate from all cancer combined than white men. Colorectal Cancer is an important and growing problem among black men. It is the third most common cancer in African American men.

Project Brotherhood designed a program to increase the awareness about colon-rectal cancer among black men. Our program is committed to increasing colon cancer screening rates amongst black men in the community. To accomplish this goal PB developed a twelve-hour culturally specific curriculum to train barbers about colorectal cancer. Eleven barbers were trained from five barbershops in order to educate their clientele about colon cancer while they cut hair. Educational information and colorectal stool screening test kits were distributed to each shop. Barbers give the information to their clients and instruct them that they may return their tests to the barbershop or the health center.

In order to increase screening rates we believe that educating patients plays a key role. We surveyed over 500 men in the community to assess their knowledge of colon cancer. We held three focus groups to identify black men’s knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about colon cancer; we used this data to create culturally specific pamphlets and posters to inform black men about the importance of colon cancer and screening. The pamphlets were distributed throughout the community. The posters were placed in the Woodlawn Health Center and we were able to more than double our colon cancer stool test screening rates. We have also created a screening bag kit, which included culturally specific stool card screening instructions and information on colon cancer. We were able to provide key chains and pill boxes as incentive for return of the cards.

The ACS recommends that the general population, without family history of colon cancer, be screened for colon cancer yearly with stool screening test kits (fecal occult blood test or FOBT), and flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or colonoscopy every ten years starting at the age of 50. We recommend that black men over the age of 40 to be screened for colon cancer. If you have a family history of colon cancer you may need earlier screening. If you need to be screened you may come to the Woodlawn Health Center or call Project Brotherhood for an appointment.