Lay Health Navigators: Integral Members of a Community Cancer Prevention Program

Cancer mortality rates in Louisville, Kentucky are among the highest in the nation. These high rates are attributed in part to lack of screening and follow up. Additionally, disparities in stage at diagnosis and survival for African American, Hispanic, and low-income individuals remain. In recognition of the tremendous burden of cancer in our community, The Norton Cancer Institute, a major cancer center in Louisville, affiliated with a large non-profit healthcare system, Norton Healthcare, established a Cancer Prevention and Early Detection program that utilizes a multimodal approach to reaching underserved populations. Critical to the success of this program are the employed lay health navigators who serve as a liaison between the community and the healthcare system. The presentation will discuss changes made within the healthcare system, involving policy, training, strategies, resource use, access, and work flow. It will also discuss approaches to community partnership, building trust within the community, feedback and collaboration between partners to mobilize resources. We will also discuss long-term implications for the healthcare system and the community.