Black women who get breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than white women because of delayed detection and treatment, so one Western University graduate is studying unconventional venues to promote breast cancer screenings among black women.

As part of her Doctor of Nursing Practice dissertation, Seleaina Ann Thomas, RN, MSN, FNP, BS, will use hair stylists and cosmetologists at Ikon Salon & Spa in Murrieta, Calif., as lay health advisers to their patrons. With the help of Ikon proprietor William Musgrow, 30 respondents will be randomly selected among 150 clients who come for services every month.

WesternU, in Pomona, Calif., is the first university in southern California and second in the state to offer a DNP program. The DNP program focuses on the medical care of vulnerable populations, and is designed for working nurses who have completed their master’s degrees in nursing.