The feasibility of beauty salons as a setting for health promotion intervention (cancer prevention education) among Indian women

 The beauty salon is emerging as a promising setting for health promotion globally. Salons are located everywhere, and are a "safe" place for having conversations that are not always "allowed" on the outside world. Beauty salons have become integral places within the Indian community and are popular with small and large towns irrespective of socioeconomic status, ethnicity and geography. With progressive urbanization and globalization more women are seeking salons services frequently and regularly.

The study encompasses the development of an intervention program designed to disseminate cancer prevention information to the women through the beauticians and thus use salons as a vehicle for health promotion in a community. The program fulfills both salon owners’ and the clients’ learning needs and is expected to have a positive impact on the counseling skills of beauticians. In order to achieve this, a three-part project is being implemented. Part 1 consists of the needs assessment, part 2 comprises the development of an intervention program and in part 3 the results of the program are being evaluated. The project runs from 2010 till 2013.