METHODS
Participants
The target population for this study comprised
women age 50-69 that were followed in the
C/MHCs. Trained research assistants approached
women in the waiting area who appeared to be in the
targeted age range, introduced the project and then
proceeded to obtain informed consent if the patient
was receptive. Women who consented to be interviewed
were first screened for eligibility. To be eligible,
patients had to have at least one prior visit to the
C/MHC where they were recruited; be between the
ages of 50 and 69; be fluent in English, Spanish or
Creole; and identify the C/MHC as their usual
source of primary care. Recruitment was limited to
women in the above-stated age range because they,
for the most part, need screening for all three target
cancers. Extending the age range to include younger
women for whom Pap tests are recommended would
have reduced the number of interviewees eligible for
breast and colon cancer screening. Each patient
interview took approximately 30-60 minutes to