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The Healthy People 2000-National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives call for an increase in breast health education to the public to increase women's knowledge about breast cancer and the benefits of screening. A breast health outreach education intervention for community health professionals was designed, implemented, and evaluated. The barriers to continuing education of health professionals of rural areas were addressed. Low-cost, county-based seminars using a comprehensive breast health education curriculum were provided for community health professionals. The intervention demonstrated an increase in a professional's knowledge about breast cancer and breast cancer screening, and an increase in their breast self-examination skills. Six months after intervention, community health professionals reported an increase in the frequency of their breast self-examination performance.

To respond to major needs expressed by 15 farm family focus group participants, education interventions were designed to overcome barriers to primary prevention for skin cancer. Farmers are at high risk for developing skin cancer because of occupational exposure. In an attempt to increase skin cancer prevention education in a rural population, three demonstration projects were developed and field tested. Projects were designed to overcome barriers defined by the focus groups. One project evaluated a school-based education intervention. A second project evaluated a family-based education intervention. Knowledge gain was the evaluation endpoint of these two projects. Significant knowledge gain was demonstrated for these projects. A third project was designed to deliver skin cancer information directly to farmers using veterinarians. Farmers found this method of delivery acceptable.