2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

324118
Disparities in Cancer Screening Among the Homeless: Time for Action


Monday, November 2, 2015

Ramin Asgary, MD, MPH, Dept of Medicine, Weill Cornell College of Medicine and New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MS, MPH, FACP, Department of Population Health, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
Annually, millions of Americans experience homelessness. Around 30% are women, and majority of adult homeless are entering their fifties. Most are due for age-related cancer screening. Cancer-related mortality is twice as high among homeless adults compared to the general population. Studies examining cancer screening rates and barriers among the homeless are lacking. In this article we aim to shed light on these cancer screening disparities. We provide a brief analysis of: underlying barriers and contributing factors; current and potential interventions and strategies to improve screening; and national health priorities for cancer control and prevention regarding disparities. We suggest improving data collection, incorporating cancer screening into the settings where the homeless seek care, and evaluating the impact of strategies to improve cancer screening among the homeless. 

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate barriers to cancer screening among homeless Discuss strategies to address cancer screening among homeless

Keyword(s): Homelessness, Cancer Prevention and Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have extensive experience in providing healthcare to and researching the homeless and their cancer health disparities
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3300.1: Best Practices and Innovations in Cancer Care Delivery Models