Development of a Digital Storytelling Intervention to Increase Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screening in the Hispanic/Latino Community: a Qualitative Evaluation
Journal of Cancer Education Dec 2023
To help improve cancer screening rates among Hispanic/Latino communities in Minnesota, RHCP partnered with StoryCenter to create a digital storytelling workshop called Stories for Change. Eight participants—cancer survivors, co-survivors, and recently screened individuals—shared personal stories about breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. These stories were crafted into short videos using voice narration and images. The storytellers hoped their experiences would resonate with viewers and encourage them to get screened. Themes included family responsibility, overcoming hardship, and cultural values like faith and community support. The workshop was described as empowering, emotional, and a way to give back to the community.
Participants appreciated the supportive environment, learned new skills, and felt their stories could inspire others. However, they also identified areas for improvement, such as clearer pre-workshop communication, more technical support, and faster sharing of the final videos. Some storytellers lacked access to technology to view their own stories, highlighting the need for better planning around digital access. Overall, the project demonstrated that digital storytelling can be a powerful tool for health promotion, especially when it centers the voices of those most affected. Future research will explore whether these stories lead to actual behavior change in cancer screening.