The Woman to Woman intervention model emphasized the importance of worker participation in program planning and implementation. This was achieved through 2 primary means. First, volunteer advisory boards were formed at each intervention site. These boards comprised employees and union representatives from various sectors of the workforce and provided a mechanism for employee input into intervention design and program planning. Boards were responsible for recruiting and selecting peer health advisors
(PHAs;described below), tailoring the intervention to the needs and interests of each site, and assisting with planning and promoting intervention activities. Boards met on a monthly or bimonthly basis to assess worksite needs, plan program events, and provide feedback regarding employee satisfaction with program events.This process fostered a sense of program “ownership” and provided skills for sustaining the program beyond the period of external funding.
Women employees were recruited to serve as PHAs.These women served as role models for
screening behaviors, disseminated breast and cervical cancer information to their coworkers provided social support, and fostered positive social norms for screening in the workplace. PHAs were recruited through company announcements and worksite events or were nominated by coworkers, union representatives, or supervisors.Volunteer advisory boards oversaw the process of PHA selection, with a goal of recruiting individuals to represent the various cultural groups,job categories, and work shifts present at the
worksite.A minimum of 3 PHAs were recruited at each site; thereafter, we attempted to recruit approximately 1 PHA for every additional 150 women employees. PHAs underwent 16 hours of training, which provided basic information regarding cancer epidemiology, early detection methods, screening guidelines, and community resources. The training also provided skills in facilitating small-group education sessions, one-to-one counseling, and program planning.Over the course of the 16-month intervention period, PHAs organized and facilitated a series of 6 small-group discussion sessions with your health care provider about screen-