Salud en Mis Manos Program Surpasses Goals, Expands Cancer Prevention and Screening Services for Underserved Latinas Across Texas

The Salud en Mis Manos (SEMM) program, funded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), recently concluded a 3-year initiative to increase breast and cervical cancer screening and prevention among medically underserved Latinas in South and Gulf Coast Texas communities. Evaluation results of the evidence-based program indicate that the SEMM program met or exceeded its goals by delivering culturally tailored education, navigation support, and partnering with clinics to provide cancer screenings, diagnostics, and cancer prevention services to thousands of women across 51 counties. 

During the 3 years, a community-engaged model that integrated bilingual media outreach, community health worker (CHW)-led education, and personalized navigation, the SEMM program social marketing campaign resulted in 468,000 engagements, a total of 7,408 women received CHW-delivered breast and cervical cancer prevention education, and 3,962 women received individualized health coach navigation support to connect them with cancer screenings, diagnostic, and prevention services. 

“The collaborative approach we use in the SEMM CHW-delivered program has demonstrated success connecting with hard-to-reach women, and providing culturally competent cancer prevention and control education, health coaching, and navigation, resulting in a significant increase in cancer screenings among uninsured and under-insured women,” said Lara Savas, PhD, principal investigator of SEMM and associate professor for the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. “This program has not only increased completion of critical cancer screening and prevention services but has also built a model for engaging community partners and promoting health in medically underserved communities.” 

Program Highlights: 

• 5,487 clinical services delivered, including mammograms, Pap/HPV screenings, cancer prevention services, and diagnostic follow-ups. 

• 798 services funded directly by CPRIT for uninsured or underinsured women. 

• 7,408 women educated on breast and cervical cancer prevention through CHW-led sessions. 

• 3,962 women navigated through barriers to care with personalized health coaching. 

• 242 CHWs trained in behavioral education and health navigation strategies. 

• 300+ partnerships formed with community organizations, clinics, and faith-based institutions. 

• Development of a centralized data tracking system to support monitoring and scalability. 

The program’s flexibility was vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to adapt delivery methods—including virtual education and telehealth coaching and navigation—while maintaining high engagement. The SEMM team also built a trusted public health presence in historically underserved communities by training CHWs from within those communities and creating bilingual materials to address common barriers like cost, fear, and misinformation. 

The SEMM model is now being expanded under a CPRIT-funded continuation grant and is being adapted to reach rural and other medically underserved Latina adults in Texas with breast and cervical cancer prevention, and early detection needs. Continuation efforts include a community outreach toolkit, social marketing strategy, Texas Department of State Health Services-certified SEMM CHW training, CHW-delivered education and health coach navigation components. 

For more information on the currently funded SEMM program and future directions, please contact SEMM program manager, Emily Adlparvar, MPH ([email protected]), or principal investigator, Lara Savas, PhD ([email protected]).