Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos

This open access book is a collection of articles based on presentations from the 2020 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference that gives an overview of conference outcomes. The vision of the conference has been to unite researchers, scientists, physicians and other healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and students from across the world to discuss research advancements, identify gaps, and develop actionable goals to translate basic research findings into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to decrease cancer risks and eliminate cancer disparities for Latinos. This conference comes at an especially important time when Latinos – the largest and youngest minority group in the U.S. – are expected to face a 142% rise in cancer cases in the coming years. Disparities continue to impact this population in critical areas: access to preventive and clinical care, changeable risk behaviors, quality of life, and mortality. Each chapter summarizes the presentation and includes current knowledge in the specific topic areas, identified gaps, and opportunities for future research. Topics explored include: Applying an Exposome-Wide (ExWAS) Approach to Latino Cancer Disparities Supportive Care Needs and Coping Strategies Used by Latino Men Cancer Survivors Optimizing Engagement of the Latino Community in Cancer Research Latino Population Growth and the Changing Demography of Cancer Implementation Science to Enhance the Value of Cancer Research in Latinos A Strength-Based Approach to Cancer Prevention in Latinxs Overcoming Clinical Research Disparities by Advancing Inclusive Research Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: Building Collaboration for Action will appeal to a wide readership due to its comprehensive coverage of topics ranging from basic science and community prevention research to clinical practice to policy. The book is an essential resource for physicians and other medical professionals, researchers, scientists, academicians, patient advocates, and students. It also will appeal to policy-makers, NCI-designated cancer centers, academic centers, state health departments, and community organizations

Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos

This open access book is a collection of articles based on presentations from the 2020 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference that gives an overview of conference outcomes. The vision of the conference has been to unite researchers, scientists, physicians and other healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and students from across the world to discuss research advancements, identify gaps, and develop actionable goals to translate basic research findings into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to decrease cancer risks and eliminate cancer disparities for Latinos. This conference comes at an especially important time when Latinos – the largest and youngest minority group in the U.S. – are expected to face a 142% rise in cancer cases in the coming years. Disparities continue to impact this population in critical areas: access to preventive and clinical care, changeable risk behaviors, quality of life, and mortality. Each chapter summarizes the presentation and includes current knowledge in the specific topic areas, identified gaps, and opportunities for future research. Topics explored include: Applying an Exposome-Wide (ExWAS) Approach to Latino Cancer Disparities Supportive Care Needs and Coping Strategies Used by Latino Men Cancer Survivors Optimizing Engagement of the Latino Community in Cancer Research Latino Population Growth and the Changing Demography of Cancer Implementation Science to Enhance the Value of Cancer Research in Latinos A Strength-Based Approach to Cancer Prevention in Latinxs Overcoming Clinical Research Disparities by Advancing Inclusive Research Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos: Building Collaboration for Action will appeal to a wide readership due to its comprehensive coverage of topics ranging from basic science and community prevention research to clinical practice to policy. The book is an essential resource for physicians and other medical professionals, researchers, scientists, academicians, patient advocates, and students. It also will appeal to policy-makers, NCI-designated cancer centers, academic centers, state health departments, and community organizations

A Multi-Faceted Quality Improvement Project Amid a Global Pandemic: Improving Guideline-Consistent Cervical Cancer Screening Rates and Provider Knowledge of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results During Reactivation of a Metro Family Practice Clinic

Background: Despite the evidence-based value of cervical cancer screening, recent updates to guidelines, and general availability of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, guideline-adherent screening rates remain low. The COVID-19 pandemic further impedes progress as preventive healthcare is delayed and patients are reluctant to enter healthcare facilities. Objectives: The purpose of this project was to evaluate if provider education and patient reminder letters comprising written education and risk-mitigation efforts improved cervical cancer screening rates and increased providers’ knowledge of appropriate follow-up during reopening of a metro family practice clinic amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A multi-faceted quality improvement project included a 3-month intervention phase comprised of: (1) provider education with descriptive analysis of pre- and post-intervention knowledge of cervical cancer screening scores as well as, (2) distribution of reminder letters to 295 eligible patients. Results:The overall cervical cancer screening rate increased by 1% during the 3-month period. Provider questionnaire scores noted a significant increase in knowledge and intent to change practice patterns (p Conclusion: Findings indicate that provider education improves knowledge of cervical cancer screening and follow-up, as well as, fosters an intent to change practice patterns according to established guidelines. Reminder letters did provide a modest increase in cervical cancer screening rates during the COVID-19 pandemic suggesting that written education and risk-mitigation efforts can encourage patients to schedule in-person appointments

Vaccinating Children for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Predictors of Parents Vaccinating Their Child and Providers Recommending a New Linguistically and Culturally Tailored Video Intervention Designed to Increase Vaccination Initiation and Completion

The public health problem of ensuring that teens and preteens receive the HPV vaccination series justified this study, using a convenience sample (N=122) of parents, 68 of whom were English-speaking parents (ESP) and 54 were Spanish-speaking parents (SSP). Among ESP, 94.1% (n=64) were females and 5.9% (n=4) were males. Among SSP, 98.1% (n=53) were females and 1.9% (n=1) was male. The mean age for ESP (n=68) was 41.16 years (min=27, max=72, SD=6.72). The mean age for SSP (n=54) was 38.72 years (min=26, max=55, SD =7.31). About 44.1% (n=30) of ESP were Hispanic/ Latino, and 98.1% (n=53) of SSP were Hispanic/Latino. Using backward stepwise regression analysis, in the whole sample (N=122), significant predictors of parents being in an action or maintenance stage for making sure their children received the HPV vaccination was predicted by: if child had received HPV vaccination (β=1.714, SEB=.599, p=.000) and yearly household income (β=.142, SEB=.200, p=.007) in a model accounting for 40.5% of the variance (R2=.420, AdjR2=.405). This study determined that a linguistically and culturally tailored (i.e., in English or Spanish) video on HPV and HPV vaccination of preteens and teens served as a brief online e-health intervention that was associated with significant parental movement across the stages of change (i.e., from precontemplation or contemplation stage, to preparation stage) and increased self-efficacy for three key behaviors: (1) talking to a pediatrician or family practice medical provider about the Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the HPV vaccination for children; (2) making sure their preteen and teen children receive the HPV vaccination; and (3) making sure their preteen and teen children receive all required doses (e.g., at least two or three doses) of the HPV vaccination. Also, 89.5% (n=17) of healthcare providers recommended the video. Qualitative data produced themes for recommending the video and improving it. Recommendations for an evaluation of the video intervention using a nationally representative sample are advanced, along with implications for widely disseminating and evaluating a new evidence-based approach codified in the video

The American Academy of Health Behavior 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting: Health Communication, (Mis-)Information, and Behavior: Leveraging Technology for Behavioral Interventions and Health Behavior Research

The American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) hosted its 24th Annual Scientific Meeting at The DeSoto Hotel in Savannah, Georgia on April 14-17, 2024. The meeting\u27s theme was “Health Communication, (Mis-)Information, and Behavior: Leveraging Technology for Behavioral Interventions and Health Behavior Research . This publication describes the meeting theme and includes the refereed abstracts presented at the 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting

Our Health Matters: Promoting the Health of Sexual Minority Women in the New Media Landscape

The shifts occurring in the mediascape and the field of public health offer new opportunities for promoting the health and wellness of sexual minority women. As a population that has historically been underserved by the healthcare system, sexual minority women face multiple barriers to achieving positive health outcomes. They are often less likely to access preventive healthcare services and more likely to engage in risky behaviors that are detrimental to health than heterosexual women. Despite the significant health disparities among sexual minority women, studying this population has not been a priority in health research and there is little research-based evidence to guide patient-provider communication or health interventions. Public health and LGBT advocates have called for further health research on sexual minority women, funding and advocacy to promote their health, and education for healthcare providers on how to provide preventive health services in a way that is sensitive to the unique needs of this population. This research project is situated at the intersections of new media, gender studies, and health communication. A non-probability study of sexual minority women in the U.S. was conducted in order to plan and implement a Web-based health communication campaign in Colorado that encourages preventive health practices among sexual minority women. This paper assesses the ways in which new media can best be leveraged to improve the health outcomes of this population

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Wiidookaage cancer plan 2025

The Fond du Lac Wiidookaage Comprehensive Cancer Plan defines cancer control activities for the Fond du Lac Reservation through 2025. It was created through a collaboration of Fond du Lac stakeholders including the Reservation Business Committee (Tribal Council), Fond du Lac Human Services Division administration, public health nursing, medical, pharmacy, dental staff and representatives from the Fond du Lac community including cancer survivors and caregivers as well as several other local, regional, national and Indian Country cancer partners.The Fond du Lac Reservation is a sovereign American Indian nation located in northeastern Minnesota. The reservation lies approximately 25 miles west of Duluth, Minnesota, near the city of Cloquet. The Fond du Lac Reservation service population includes over 4,250 individuals enrolled in federally recognized tribes with the majority of the members from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. These individuals primarily reside within or nearby the reservation boundaries.This publication was made possible through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fond Du Lac Reservation Cooperative Agreement Number: 5 U58DP003873-04-00: Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial and Tribal Organizations FOA number: DP12-1205; Component 2: Policy and Environmental Approaches and Community-Clinical Linkages in the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP).fond_du_lac_ccc_plan-508.pdfCenters for Disease Control and Prevention: Fond Du Lac Reservation cooperative agreement number: 5 U58DP003873-04-0

A Systematic Review of interventions to Promote Hpv Vaccination Globally

BACKGROUND: Despite the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine being a safe, effective cancer prevention method, its uptake is suboptimal in the United States (U.S.). Previous research has found a variety of intervention strategies (environmental and behavioral) to increase its uptake. The purpose of the study is to systematically review the literature on interventions that promote HPV vaccination from 2015 to 2020. METHODS: We updated a systematic review of interventions to promote HPV vaccine uptake globally. We ran keyword searches in six bibliographic databases. Target audience, design, level of intervention, components and outcomes were abstracted from the full-text articles in Excel databases. RESULTS: Of the 79 articles, most were conducted in the U.S. (72.2%) and in clinical (40.5%) or school settings (32.9%), and were directed at a single level (76.3%) of the socio-ecological model. Related to the intervention type, most were informational (n = 25, 31.6%) or patient-targeted decision support (n = 23, 29.1%). About 24% were multi-level interventions, with 16 (88.9%) combining two levels. Twenty-seven (33.8%) reported using theory in intervention development. Of those reporting HPV vaccine outcomes, post-intervention vaccine initiation ranged from 5% to 99.2%, while series completion ranged from 6.8% to 93.0%. Facilitators to implementation were the use of patient navigators and user-friendly resources, while barriers included costs, time to implement and difficulties of integrating interventions into the organizational workflow. CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong need to expand the implementation of HPV-vaccine promotion interventions beyond education alone and at a single level of intervention. Development and evaluation of effective strategies and multi-level interventions may increase the uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescents and young adults

Examining Gender In Pharmaceutical Rhetoric Through A Cultural Studies Lens: A Case Study On The Gardasil Vaccine

On June 8, 2006, Merck announced the debut of Gardasil, the world\u27s first vaccine found successful in preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, a sexually transmitted infection that is one of the main causes of certain cancers in men and women, including cervical, vulvar, penile and anal cancers. To promote the vaccine\u27s release, Merck launched Gardasil\u27s One Less advertising campaign that included television commercials, print ads and a consumerfocused website (www.Gardasil.com), each promoting the message that you could now be one less woman affected by cervical cancer ( One Less campaign). The vaccine, tested and approved only for females age 9-26, was advertised to this age group, as well as parents or guardians responsible for making medical decisions for female minors. As the campaign launched, commercials depicted females laughing and enjoying hobbies while mentioning the positive decision they made to receive the Gardasil vaccine. Many commercials also included portrayals of mothers talking happily about their decision to get their young daughters vaccinated. Interestingly, male figures were completely left out of Gardasil\u27s One Less campaign ads, despite the fact that in reality, males administer the vaccine as medical professionals, transmit the infection as sexual partners, and suffer cancers as HPVinfected patients. Males were even left out of the ads as parents, who were always portrayed by women in the ad campaign. iv Informed consumers may have expected all this to change on Oct. 16, 2009 – three years after Gardasil\u27s debut – when the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine for use in males age 9-26 to protect against HPV-caused genital warts. Though Merck\u27s vaccine was now accessible to more consumers than ever, the advertising that surrounded this medical breakthrough changed very little. Television commercials for the vaccine still promoted Gardasil primarily to women for the purpose of preventing HPV-related cervical cancer. Again, men were not featured in commercials as medical professionals, parents, guardians, romantic partners, or even as patients able to get the vaccine. Males did begin appearing on the vaccine\u27s official website, however these depictions were limited to showing only young boys, who appeared standing with a mother\u27s protective arm around them. Males that represent the older age range (up to age 26) were never shown. What effect does the lack of male representation have on the verbal and nonverbal message these ads are sending consumers about who fits in the target consumer group, as well as who is at risk for an HPV infection? On a broader level, how does gender representation as a whole affect pharmaceutical advertisements and the adoption of the potentially life-saving products they promote? How does a pharmaceutical technology become gendered ? How do specific gender portrayals impact the educational aspects of pharmaceutical ads, which may shape a consumer\u27s opinion of who is at risk for an illness, and who is responsible for its treatment or prevention? And how do these gender portrayals connect with, reflect or reinforce v dominant cultural beliefs about the roles males and females play in protecting themselves and others from disease? In this study, I investigate these questions using a blended cultural studies/social sciences research perspective, first looking at the controversial history of direct-toconsumer pharmaceutical advertising and the gender stereotypes that traditionally exist in this form of rhetoric. I then test the affect Merck\u27s gender portrayals has on its ad message in a blind study done with a small sample population, which provides evidence that Merck\u27s ads are confusing and exclusive of certain populations, particularly men. I then investigate how Merck\u27s existing gender portrayals, and strong focus on women, reflect larger historical beliefs on the roles that males and females play in health care and in the family. I show how, through advertising, Gardasil has become gendered as a pharmaceutical technology for female children. From here, I will show how pharmaceutical companies, such as Merck, have both reflected and reinforced the belief that women are the primary caregivers to children, how this stereotype is both damaging and statistically incorrect, and how using it targets Gardasil ads to a very narrow population of consumers, miscommunicating the message of who is at risk for illness contraction and perhaps even damaging sales in addition to prevention. I later provide evidence that Merck\u27s current Gardasil ad series and other actions in the marketplace are dangerously misleading certain populations regarding the nature of the HPV virus, the protective abilities of the vaccine, and the populations responsible for accessing Gardasil. I then provide the argument that gendering Gardasil as a women\u27s technology is done intentionally by Merck, which has a history of making vi profits a priority over responsibly treating patient health. I conclude by providing detailed suggestions on how Merck can augment their current ad series to de-gender Gardasil to become more medically responsible, and break out of the cycle of portraying men and women using damaging and outdated stereotypes. Instead, my suggestions for changes to Gardasil\u27s advertising approach would make the vaccine\u27s messages appeal to all audiences at risk

A Study to Determine Factors that Inhibit Compliance with Engaging in Recommended Papanicoaou Smear Screenings in African American Women

Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screenings help to detect abnormal cervical cells in the cervix. African American women are usually diagnosed in the later stages of cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine factors that inhibit compliance with Pap smear screening in African American women. Ninety-three African American women ages 18 or older, attending an urban health clinic participated in this descriptive design study to answer three research questions: 1) What factors inhibit compliance with recommended Pap smear screening in African American women age 18 or older? 2) Is there a difference between participants who attended the mobile clinic and the land based clinic on the four identified subscales of cost, convenience, negative emotions, and misinformation or knowledge? 3) Is there a significant relationship between Pap smear screening compliance and age, income, number of births, number of children, or distance? Participants received care at either the land-based clinic or the mobile site clinic. Participants completed the Pap Smear Attitudinal Barriers Questionnaire (PSABQ) and a brief demographics questionnaire. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was the theoretical framework for this study. Descriptive statistics for frequencies and percentages, t-tests and Chi square analysis were utilized in this study. This study identified cost as the most frequent barrier and knowledge as the second most frequent barrier. There was a significant difference in the identification of cost and knowledge as a barrier by land-based versus mobile clinic site participants. A Chi square analysis showed a significant association between Pap smear screening compliance and age and distance from the clinic. A statistically significant relationship was found between land-based participants\u27 Pap smear screening compliance and number of children given birth to, and mobile participants\u27 Pap smear screening compliance and age, number of children given birth to and number of children living in the home. This study supports recommendations for teaching patients about Pap smear screenings and the accessibility of affordable Pap smear screenings, increased marketing of the availability of low or no cost Pap smear screenings, as well as the need to obtain demographic information that adversely effects Pap smear screening compliance in African American women