Adaptation and Pilot Testing of an Avatar-Delivered Alcohol Reduction Intervention for Women at Risk for Incidence and Recurrence of Breast Cancer
Description: Breast cancer is the most commonly-diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of early death among women. Progress against breast cancer may be accelerated by addressing modifiable risk factors and targeting women at greatest risk with interventions. Our study addresses a major risk factor for one of the leading causes of early death in women—breast cancer—at the time of routine breast cancer screening.
Alcohol use is a major modifiable risk factor for both the development and recurrence of breast cancer, yet public awareness of this link remains low. Alcohol use among women is increasing, which may be linked to the rise in breast cancer incidence. Brief alcohol interventions have demonstrated efficacy for reducing alcohol consumption and may hold promise for doing so in women at risk for or in survivorship from breast cancer. However, women face unique barriers to identification and treatment of unhealthy alcohol use and are less likely than men to be asked about alcohol use during medical visits. These missed opportunities for prevention underscore the critical need for alcohol reduction interventions to be offered in low-barrier, routine care settings.
Routine mammography appointments provide a critical opportunity to deliver targeted education about alcohol use and breast cancer risk. Mammography is the most common method for early detection of breast cancer, with screening rates ranging from 50–83% depending on insurance. Mammography screening appointments provide a unique opportunity to reach and engage large numbers of women to deliver behavioral cancer prevention interventions, including a novel alcohol use reduction intervention. Though a trial of a brief animation-based intervention embedded in routine mammography care in Australia substantially improved awareness of alcohol-related breast cancer risk, no similar study has been conducted in the United States.
Our study, supported by community members with lived experiences of breast cancer, will adapt and pilot test a highly-accessible and evidence-based alcohol reduction intervention to be delivered at the time of mammography. We will do this by understanding the stories, experiences, and knowledge of women at risk for or in survivorship from breast cancer, as well as the needs of clinical providers, and using this information to develop intervention content. This work has potential to curb breast cancer diagnoses by addressing a common and changeable risk factor.
Funder: American Cancer Society
Amount: $297,000
Funding type: award
Start date: 2026-04-01
End date: 2028-03-31
Investigator: Emily Williams
Institution: University of Washington
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: DBG-25-1515707-01-CPHP
OpenAlex ID: G4582283501