Our objective was to develop, deliver, and evaluate a cancer screening intervention focused on rural Anabaptist communities in Ontario, Canada, to increase routine cancer screenings among women. We carried out three cancer prevention and screening interventions with Old Order Anabaptist women. Each intervention consisted of: transportation to the site, pre-arranged screening services, health teachings, fellowship and shopping, and an evaluative survey. Seventy five women total participated over three interventions. 85% of participants were under or never screened for cancer. This was the first breast screen for 26% of those who completed a mammogram and the first colon screen for 29% of the women who took home an FOBT collection kit. Reviews of the intervention were positive. Integration and community based planning were the primary reasons for the success of this cancer screening intervention. Intervention days were best timed in the early spring before planting or late fall after canning. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Old Order Anabaptist Cancer screening Mennonite Minority women’s health Amish Health intervention

Interpersonal Relations minority group human middle aged rural population Colonic Neoplasms early cancer diagnosis Aged colon tumor Christianity Early Detection of Cancer procedures human relation program development Humans Breast Neoplasms Minority Groups breast tumor female cultural factor Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice women's health Ontario program evaluation Transportation health education traffic and transport Uterine Cervical Neoplasms uterine cervix tumor participatory research Community-Based Participatory Research Cultural Characteristics attitude to health