Community-based cancer prevention and control to address cancer disparities

In South Carolina, for many types of cancer, African Americans (AA) have higher incidence and/or mortality rates as compared to European-American (EA) counterparts. For cervical cancer, AA women are 1.5 times more likely to develop and 2.5 times more likely to die than EA women. For colorectal cancer, AA men have an 8% higher incidence rate and AA women have a 16% higher rate than EA. Mortality rates exhibit an even more striking trend with AA men having a 46% higher mortality rate than EA men. To address these cancer disparities, three community-based cancer prevention and control efforts have been initiated. The Shop Talk Movement and WE CAN! programs address colorectal cancer in partnership with the community using community-based approaches. Shop Talk exists in AA barbershops and beauty salons using barbers and stylists as lay health educators. WE CAN! is a community navigation program designed to increase awareness and facilitate colorectal cancer screening. A Call to Action: Preventing Cervical Cancer among AA Women is a faith-based effort focused on increasing awareness of and promoting screening for cervical cancer. Information and evaluation findings for each of these programs will be discussed. Community-based approaches have been successful in the short-term. The power of communities as a mighty force in bringing about downstream changes in cancer rates is a remaining question.