Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center Kami Silk, PhD Co-Investigator, Communication Core Department of Communication Michigan State University

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Breast Cancer and the Environment Research
CenterKami Silk, PhD Co-Investigator,
Communication Core Department of
CommunicationMichigan State University
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Principal Investigators

• Sandra Z. Haslam, Ph.D. Professor of Physiology
• PI and Center Director
• Charles Atkin, Ph.D. Professor of Communication
• PI

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Purpose

• To explore the causes of breast cancer by
  creating a network of research centers in which
• multidisciplinary teams of scientists,
  clinicians, and breast cancer advocates work
  together on a
• unique set of scientific questions that focus on
  
• chemical, physical, biological, and social
  factors in the environment that
• work together with genetic factors and lead to
  breast cancer

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Overall Goal

• To develop public health messages for
• young girls and women who are at high risk for
  breast cancer
• about the role(s) of specific environmental
  stressors in breast cancer
• and how to reduce exposures to these stressors.

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• Breast Cancer and the Environment Research
  Center
• Granting Agencies
• National Institute of Environmental Health
  Sciences
• National Cancer Institute
• Funded for 7 years
• MSU Foundation supplemental funds for 3 years

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Four Funded Centers

• NIEHS and NCI funded 4 centers across the
  country
• Michigan State University
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of California, San Francisco

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BCERC Components

• Administrative Core
• Community Outreach and Translation
• Research Core
• Basic Biology Research (all centers)
• Epidemiology Research (U.C., U.P., U.C.S.F.)

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MSU Center Components

• Administrative Core
• Coordinate all MSU center activities
• Coordinate all MSU collaborative interactions
  with the three other centers

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MSU Center

• Breast Biology Research Project
• Environmental Effects on the Molecular
  Architecture and Function of the Mammary Gland
  across the Lifespan

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Definition of Environmental Stressors

• Chemicals
• Diet
• Activity
• Stress (socio-economic, psychological)

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Basic Science Collaborative Project
Progesterone and mammary gland development

1. Normal mammary gland development using mouse
   model.

1. How do environmental stressors such as diet and
   chemical/hormonal exposures during pregnancy and
   prior to puberty alter normal development at
   puberty and eventual sexual maturity?

• How do alterations in normal development at
  puberty and sexual
• maturity caused by environmental stressors
  affect breast cancer
• development after exposure to a known
  carcinogen?

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Biology Core Team

• Principal Investigator
• Dr. Sandra Haslam Physiology
• Co-Investigators
• Dr. Richard Miksicek Physiology
• Dr. Karl Olson Physiology
• Dr. Susan Conrad Microbiology Molecular
  Genetics
• Dr. Richard Schwartz Microbiology Molecular
  Genetics
• Dr. Timothy Zacharewski Biochemistry
  Environmental Toxicology

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MSU Center

• Community Outreach and Translation Core (COTC)
• Develop and implement strategies to translate the
  scientific findings of the research centers into
  information for the public and policy makers and
  determine if they are effective
• Activities in collaboration with advocates
• Develop educational materials for children and
  adults
• Conduct public awareness forums, workshops and
  meetings
• Develop and evaluate new approaches to
  disseminate research findings

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Outreach and Translation Core Team

• Principal Investigator
• Charles Atkin, PhD, P.I. Communication
• Co-Investigators
• Pam Whitten, PhD
  Telecommunication
• Kami Silk, PhD Communication
• Karen Shirer, PhD MSU Extension
• William Donohue, PhD Communication
• Janet Osuch, M.D., M.S. Surgery
  Epidemiology

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Advocate Roles

• Work in partnership with the biology and
  epidemiology scientists to integrate consumer
  concerns into the research protocols
• Work in partnership the scientists and the
  outreach core to disseminate education about the
  project and its findings in their communities

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Community Advocates

• Carol Callaghan, MPH
• Chief, Cancer Prevention Control Section, MDCH
• Latecia Matthews, BS
• Faith Access to Community Economic Development
• Christine Pearson, BA
• President, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
  Foundation, Greater Lansing Affiliate
• Lana Pollack, MA
• President, Michigan Environmental Council
• Vicki Rakowski, RN
• Executive VP for Medical Activities, Great Lakes
  Division of the American Cancer Society

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MSU COTC Activities

• Provide communication expertise to other COTC
• Assist with the annual conference
• Develop materials that communicate breast cancer
  risk information
• Thus far, conducted formative research
• Focus groups
• Content Analysis
• Phone survey

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MSU Focus Group Study

• Community-based formative research
• Ten focus groups (N91)
• 6 adolescent girl groups
• 4 mother groups
• EAs, AAs, Latinos
• 4 counties in Michigan
• Data transcribed and coded

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MSU Focus Group Study

• Awareness of breast cancer
• Beliefs about severity, susceptibility, and
  efficacy
• Beliefs about breast cancer, role of the
  environment (physical and lifestyle)
• Useful for audience analysis to tailor message
  content

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MSU Focus Group Study

• Evidence of knowledge deficits
• Evidence of lack of link between breast cancer
  and the environment, particularly among
  adolescents
• Evidence of lack of understanding of the role of
  prevention in decreasing risk
• Evidence of lack of motivation to engage in
  healthy behaviors

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Barriers to Effective Health and Risk
Communication

• Abstractness
• Complexity
• Low audience involvement
• Lack of perceived susceptibility
• everything causes cancer
• Lack of future orientation
• Emotional and physical constraints
• Low health literacy and innumeracy

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Challenges

• How can we address barriers and create effective
  health messages?
• Note There is NOT a simple formula for success.

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Effective Message Construction

• What is your goal?
• Conduct formative research
• Let theory guide message construction
• Theoretical toolbox
• Cite credible sources
• Simplicity
• Use emotional and rational appeals

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Effective Message Construction

• Present multiple types of evidence
• Narrative
• Statistical
• Present statistical evidence in multiple formats
• Use clear pictorial representations
• Use intense language

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Future PSAs

• Developed as results of studies emerge
• Targeted to adolescents women
• Focused on healthy diet and increased physical
  activity
• Imbed protective factor against breast cancer in
  the message
• Professional and creative
• Guided by formative research message testing

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Helpful Resources

• Maibach, E., Parrott, R. (1995). Designing
  health messages Approaches from communication
  theory and public health practice. Thousand Oaks
  Sage.
• Rice, R.E. Atkin, C.K. (2001). Public
  Communication Campaigns (3rd edition). Thousand
  Oaks, CA Sage.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  (2002). Making health communication programs
  work. NIH Publication No. 02-5145.

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• Thank you!