Founded by cervical cancer survivor Zuli Garcia, Cervical Cancer Chats addresses health disparities by combining cancer prevention education with accessible HPV vaccination in Spanish-speaking communities across Iowa. After her 2023 diagnosis, Garcia built on the trust she established through Knock & Drop, her pandemic-era food security organization, to launch the initiative in late 2024. Through partnerships with the Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Iowa Immunizes, Iowa Public Health Association, Iowa Cancer Consortium, and local groups, the program delivers culturally appropriate Spanish-language education in trusted community spaces, reducing language barriers.
Objectives:
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Identify strategies for building trust-based partnerships between community organizations, healthcare providers, and public health agencies to improve vaccination rates and health education access.
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Explain how culturally appropriate cervical cancer and other HPV cancer prevention education can reduce stigma and increase HPV vaccination uptake in Spanish-speaking communities.
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Evaluate the collaborative framework used in Cervical Cancer Chats for its potential replicability and scalability to address other health disparities in diverse populations.
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