摘要：There are inequities
in cancer screening among people living in one large province in Canada; these
include breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. The use of peer
support or lay health educator models is often used in promoting health
behaviours to communities. This paper outlines some of the conceptual understandings
of peer support and lay health educator models and describes an application of
a lay health educator program called Screening Saves Lives. The program
structure and activities are discussed as well as lessons learned over a period
of six years. Three key theoretical perspectives support the design of the
model— Health Belief Model, Stages of Change model and
PRECEDE model. The program has reached over 35,000 community members within one
region using laypersons who are trained in providing tailored messages on
cancer screening, supporting and follow-up. Additionally, the program has been
a catalyst in identifying barriers to cancer screening and enables positive
changes in the health care system. Screening Saves Lives is currently being
scaled to other communities in the province.
关键词：Cancer Screening; Peer Support; Lay Health Educator
