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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Vanessa Lindler, MA and Susan A. Chapman, PhD, RN. Center for Health Professions, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 410, San Francisco, CA 94118, (415) 502-7870, vanessa@thecenter.ucsf.edu

Cancer registrars are integral to cancer surveillance and the goals of cancer epidemiology. These workers provide the foundation for cancer statistics by gathering, abstracting, and coding data from the medical records of every cancer patient. We present results of a national study of the cancer registrar workforce. The study goal was to develop a baseline understanding of the field, including estimates of workforce size, factors impacting supply of and demand for workers, job satisfaction, and career commitment. Other goals were to develop recruitment and retention strategies for the field and an understanding of the future role of this profession in cancer epidemiology. Methods included qualitative and quantitative approaches including 4 in-person and 4 telephone focus groups, key informant interviews, a survey of 995 randomly selected practicing registrars, stratified by work site (hospital versus central/federal registries) and analysis of secondary data. Findings are that the workforce is primarily female (94%), Caucasian (86%), holds an AA or BS/BA degree (68%), and is aging (mean age 48). Focus group data indicated that cancer registrars are dedicated to their work and few intend to leave the field. Yet they feel under-recognized by their management and under-compensated in wages and benefits. Given that this is a small workforce in total number, demand for new entrants to the profession is periodic yet critical. Future strategies must address critical issues to assure an adequate supply of skilled cancer registrars and the integrity of the data on which cancer surveillance is based.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the role of cancer registrars in cancer surveillance.
• Discuss critical issues in meeting the need for a well-qualified cancer registrar workforce.
• Develop strategies for educating, recruiting, and retaining qualified cancer registrars.

Keywords: Workforce, Data/Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered