A Culturally Tailored Educational Program for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction in Korean Immigrant Women: A Community‐Based Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally tailored educational program, the Korean Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program (KBCRRP), to reduce breast cancer (BC) risk factors and increase screening among Korean American (KA) women. METHODS: ) from a community organization in New York City. The intervention group (IG, n = 14) attended eight in person weekly sessions and received 16 weeks of smartphone follow-up. The control group (CG, n = 14) received written cancer prevention materials. Anthropometric measurements and self-reported questionnaires were collected in weeks 1, 8, and 24. Changes in BMI, physical activity, diet, and BC screening were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and McNemar tests. RESULTS: Participants (N = 28; IG = 14, CG = 14) had an average age of 58.07 years (SD = 6.78). At eight weeks, IG participants demonstrated a significant reduction in BMI (p = 0.001) and decreased calorie intake at both eight weeks (p = 0.046) and 24 weeks (p = 0.042). CG participants showed an increase in waist-hip ratio at both time points (p < 0.01). Mammography uptake improved in both groups, with no significant group difference. CONCLUSION: Despite a small sample size, the KBCRRP showed a significant reduction in key BC risk factors among KA women.