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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Heather Brandt, PhD, CHES, SC Cancer Disparities Community Network, University of South Carolina-Arnold School of Public Health, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, 2221 Devine Street, Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-734-4428, hbrandt@sc.edu and Isabel Scarinci, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Deep South Network for Cancer Control, Preventive Medicine, 1530 3rd Street South - MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35294-4410.

The majority of women who die from cervical cancer in the US are either rarely or never screened for cervical cancer or have incomplete follow-up of cervical dysplasia, and most of these women are racial and ethnic minorities. Although there a number of factors associated with high incidence and mortality among minority women, it has been well established that HPV is a necessary cause of cervical dysplasia. In a July 2005 NCI report on excess cervical cancer mortality, information and communication recommendations to improve awareness and knowledge, improve patient-provider communication, provide best practice inventories, and improve information available through medical records were made to address cervical cancer disparities. In addition, there is a great need to explore innovative technologies, particularly among hard-to-reach populations. In this presentation, the work of investigators from two Community Network Programs will be shared, focusing on recent efforts to address cervical cancer disparities among African-American women through acceptability of new technology, information and communication strategies. Investigators from the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network are exploring and initiative information and communication strategies to reach rarely/never screened African-American women via faith-based programs and community health centers. Investigators from the Deep South Network for Cancer Control are examining socio-demographic, psychosocial, and environmental factors associated with acceptability and adoption of HPV self-testing among African-American women in the Mississippi Delta from a theoretical and culturally relevant perspective. To effectively address cervical cancer disparities, innovative, culturally-sensitive, and linguistically-appropriate information and communication strategies are needed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participants will be able to

• Describe the role of information dissemination in the challenge to reduce cancer health disparities.
• Identify at least two barriers to reducing cancer health disparities, and potential strategies to reduce those barriers

Keywords: Information Technology, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation