WTP8.10 The ‘Let’s talk about Black Women and Breast Cancer’ Conference – a targeted healthcare intervention

Abstract

Abstract Aims Studies show that targeted health interventions are more successful. The “Let’s talk about Black Women and Breast Cancer” (BWBC) annual conference was established to educate as well as empower the lay public but to also highlight the poorer breast cancer outcomes in the Black community for health care professionals (HCPs). The aim of the conference was to use a targeted intervention in the hope that it would contribute to the improvement of these poor outcomes through lectures and interactive workshops. Methods All those attending the conference were sent an online questionnaire. This consisted of 14 mixed method questions including qualitative data on whether the conference led to a change in health behaviours. Attendees were sent one reminder to complete the evaluation and were given 1 month to complete it. Results 132 delegates attended the conference and 60 evaluation forms returned (45.5% response rate). 80% of responders attended in-person with the remainder online. 95% (57/60) of attendees felt the conference taught them something new, 81% (49/60) felt encouraged to go for breast screening, 85% (51/60) felt encouraged to examine themselves and 83% (50/60) felt more empowered to engage in health consultations. Conclusions The BWBC conference was successful in educating attendees regardless of background, and helped to empower regarding decisions around breast health. The shared learning allowed it to be mutually beneficial for HCPs and lay public alike. Whilst the conference was a success, it highlights that there is much needed work to be done to improve healthcare inequalities for Black women with breast cancer.