Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111564

Leslie C. Cooper, RN, PhD, Tarsha McCrae, MPH, CHES, and Barbara K. Wingrove, MPH. Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, National Cancer Institute, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 602, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-496-8589, lcooper@mail.nih.gov

Minority and underserved populations in the United States continue to bear an unequal burden of disease in spite of national efforts to address these disparities. This is especially notable in geographic areas with excess cancer mortality. Experts are exploring strategies for reducing the unequal burden of cancer on minority and underserved populations across the cancer care continuum and ensure that appropriate screening, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care are offered to all. Researchers have spent many years and dollars to define the problems and test interventions that would alleviate the problems of cancer in disadvantaged populations. Successful interventions have been added to the literature of “evidence-based practices” that could be used to reduce cancer disparities in incidence and mortality. However, disparities still exist and these evidence-based practices are not sustained in the targeted community nor disseminated to other communities. Strategies need to be developed and integrated into evidence-based practices to ensure acceptance by the community and establish partnerships for sustainability of the key elements of the intervention.

This panel will highlight the role of health policy in sustaining evidence-based practices in reducing cancer health disparities. The panel members will provide an overview of cancer health disparities, discuss colorectal cancer screening and policy implications, present one state's experience in implementing health policy to reduce disparities, and discuss the importance of including health policy to sustain evidence-based research. The session will conclude with audience participation and identification of next steps through a question and answer period.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the health disparities in cancer related illnesses;
• Identify the challenge of colorectal screening as it relates to diverse populations;
• Describe the role of health policy in addressing cancer health disparities through a statewide effort; and
• Identify the role of health policy as a tool in reducing cancer health disparities.

Keywords: Cancer, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation