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

Abstract #112615

Blue Walcer, MPH, Hematology/Oncology Division, San Francisco General Hospital, 995 Potrero Avenue, Building 80, Ward 84, San Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 476-4082 x409, b.walcer@hemeonc.ucsf.edu and Daniel Dohan, PhD, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California St. Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94118.

CARE (Cancer Awareness Resources and Education) is a community-driven educational group for underserved cancer patients. For the past two years, CARE has helped underserved patients learn more about cancer, cancer care, and health. The program is based at San Francisco General Hospital, the safety-net provider for San Francisco City and County. CARE has been uniquely successful in attracting participants who are usually considered extremely difficult to reach, including patients who are often lost to follow-up, have cultural and linguistic barriers to care, or are considered inappropriate for outreach due to mental health, substance use, or severe social displacements. We have documented the program's accomplishments through qualitative research methods including participant-observation and in-depth interviews. Based on these evaluations, we attribute the success of CARE to three factors: (1) material incentives such as food, transportation, and small gifts; (2) a format that emphasizes education in the context of psycho-social support; (3) intensive and personalized follow-up that facilitates meaningful connection between clinic-based staff in the context of patient social dislocations. This model differs substantially from the usual cancer support and education groups catering to more affluent patient populations. Members of CARE have found that those groups neither cater to their needs nor offer a welcoming environment. CARE provides a model program, replicable to other programs and facilities, to increase self-care and coping skills for underserved patient populations.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in the session will be able to identify four strategies for developing a health education program for underserved cancer patients.

Keywords: Underserved Populations,

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.