Tamale Lesson: A case study of a narrative health communication intervention

Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women globally. Latinas carry a disproportionate burden of this disease. In the United States, when compared with non-Hispanic Whites, Latinas endure much higher incidence rates (13.86 vs. 7.70 per 100 000) with mortality rates 1.5 times greater than for non-Hispanic White women. In order to address this disparity, a multidisciplinary team engaged in a study to test the effectiveness of a narrative, developed in culturally specific ways as a behavioral change communication tool. This case study presents lessons learned from Tamale Lesson, a narrative health communication intervention aimed at Mexican-American women that promotes cervical cancer screening (via Pap test) and prevention (via use of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine). Mexican American women who viewed Tamale Lesson showed a significant increase in cervical cancer screening, reducing a disparities in cancer screening found at baseline. This case study highlights the benefits of creating a culturally grounded narrative intervention, and underscores the powerful potential of narrative/storytelling in eliminating health disparities in the United States and around the world.