A new project, led by scientist Priscilla Martinez, and in collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco, aims to better inform young women about the link between drinking and risk of breast cancer.
Priscilla Martinez, PhD
Through the development and distribution of an educational campaign, the project will promote a greater understanding among young women about their own drinking and how it impacts their health so they can make more informed choices.
Alcohol use is the third largest contributor to cancer cases among U.S. women, and female breast cancer accounts for nearly 80% of the 50,110 alcohol-attributable cases of cancer. Despite the well-documented link between alcohol use and breast cancer, many people are unaware of how drinking can increase their risk.
Recent work in the UK and Australia has evaluated efforts to effectively communicate a woman’s risk, and showed positive responses to health education campaigns promoting awareness and low-risk drinking.
However, to date, there have not been any campaigns to increase awareness among young women in the US.
The project is funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program whose mission is to eliminate breast cancer by leading innovative research, communication, and collaboration in the California scientific and lay communities.
The project runs for six months with the goal of disseminating health messaging and materials throughout the state.
