l cancer is more than twice as common among Hispanic women than non-Hispanic whites. Part of the reason for this is poor cancer education, screening, and treatment among certain high-risk groups, but a new study suggests that these factors can be significantly improved by a new approach: one-stop education and screening at a neighborhood church.

In the December 15th issue of the journal Cancer, Dr. Christina Holschneider of the University of California Los Angeles and colleagues from there and elsewhere report on a pilot program run at an inner-city church in South Los Angeles. All non-pregnant women over 18 in the congregation who had not had a Pap smear in the last year were invited to participate in the free program, offered before and after Sunday religious services for six weeks and on three Saturdays.

The program, offered in English and Spanish, began with the women completing a survey about their health history, behavior, and knowledge. A Pap smear was then taken and processed immediately onsite by a board-certified cytopathologist. While awaiting the test results, the women were given a short education program about cervical cancer awareness and prevention. The Pap smear results were given to each woman privately, and if needed, additional testing was done.

``Once it is more broadly implemented, this novel, single-visit approach could prove to be a major breakthrough'' in attempts to decrease the rate of cervical cancer in hard-to-reach communities, the study authors conclude.

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