Central Asia Nursing and Breast Health Education Project

What We Do › Breast Health › Central Asia Nursing and Breast Health Education Project

Through AIHA’s Central Asia Nursing and Breast Health Education Project, 40 nurses—most affiliated with AIHA partner institutions and engaged in nursing education, local and/or national nursing associations, Nursing Resource Centers, Women’s Wellness Centers, or other programs—received extensive training on the clinical and psychological aspects of breast health. Patient and community education strategies for promoting breast health were taught as well as instruction in the process of developing dissemination strategies and proposals to fund them. 

Three certified Breast Health Educators from the United States served as project faculty and mentors, providing an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the breast, screening guidelines, and diagnosis and treatment options, as well as in-depth discussions on the incidence, mortality, and risk factors for breast cancer. Participants received instruction on breast self-examination and were provided with teaching tools including breast models and Russian-language shower cards to help reinforce one-on-one patient education.

The nurses also learned how to organize community outreach programs, establish breast cancer support groups, and use the mass media as a tool to raise awareness among the public. Finally, they participated in a technical session designed to teach them how to research funding opportunities and write an effective grant proposal to help ensure the sustainability of the programs they developed. As a result of this project, 17 participating nurses received funding for individual breast cancer programs. The breast health program in Central Asia was jointly funded by USAID and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

« Go Back