A comprehensive approach to identifying and addressing community health needs around cancer: Lessons learned from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Community Health Needs Assessment

Comprehensive cancer centers are in a unique position to provide education, screening, and prevention services to underserved communities. To provide these services, it is critical to not only understand community residents' cancer perceptions, but also how the social and economic context of their community can affect health-seeking behaviors. To this end and bolstered by The Affordable Care Act's community health needs assessment (CHNA) mandate, non-profit cancer centers have an opportunity to examine community assets and needs around cancer and identify how these needs can be addressed within a social determinants of health framework.

Using this framework, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute undertook a CHNA focusing on traditionally underserved neighborhoods in Boston. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather qualitative and quantitative data, including analyzing epidemiological data across the cancer continuum, conducting focus groups with community residents, completing in-depth interviews with leaders from a range of community-based organizations, and engaging a community advisory committee throughout the process (total n=86). The goals of this presentation are to 1) discuss the process and lessons learned of conducting a CHNA for a comprehensive cancer center, and 2) share findings regarding perceptions of cancer and related services in underserved communities.

Data revealed significant social and economic patterns in prevention behaviors, incidence, and mortality. Furthermore, cancer was considered a low priority for residents compared to other chronic conditions and concerns of meeting basic needs. Engaging residents and leaders throughout the CHNA helped ensure methods were salient and findings could be translated into actionable strategies to address community needs.