The Early Impact of the Affordable Care Act upon Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization in Florida

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although preventable and curable through screening, early detection and treatment, a lack of health insurance is a major obstacle to receiving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS). Despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increasing access to health insurance by mandating coverage of CRCS, disparities in utilization rates continue. Therefore, researchers sought to better understand ACA related facilitators and impediments that affect the utilization of CRCS and collect specific recommendations from healthcare professionals to increase screening utilization rates in Florida. Methods: Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 22 healthcare professionals. Data were coded and analyzed using an applied thematic analysis approach and interpreted according to levels of the Social Ecological Model. Results: Eight physicians and nurses, 7 healthcare workers/care coordinators, 5 administrators and insurers, and 2 health advocates completed interviews. In their view, the early days of the ACA facilitated CRCS uptake through use of frontline staff, patient provider communication, and increased access to healthcare. Barriers that remained, included out of pocket patient costs, limited Medicaid expansion, acceptance of ACA plans by only certain providers and removal of patient incentives. Recommendations for increasing CRCS included more promotion and awareness, removing costs and ensuring patient navigation. Conclusions: The ACA offered increased access to healthcare coverage, utilization of CRCS and encouraged better communication between healthcare providers and patients. However, persistent barriers remain and include varied CRCS-related patient costs and restricted provider networks included in ACA sponsored plans. Continued healthcare policy reform is needed to make CRCS affordable for all Americans

Faith and Masculinity: A Discussion on Raising Awareness and Promoting Cancer Screening Among Latino Men

Males may experience several barriers to seeking health care, including unfamiliarity with procedures (e.g. colonoscopy), stigma and fear of a given health issue, perceived breach of masculinity (machismo), and fear of feeling vulnerable. Evidence suggests church-based interventions are an effective way to strengthen the connection between promotional message content and participant conceptualization of the risks and benefits of health screenings. However, there is a lack of evidence demonstrating such effectiveness in men’s health, and there is even more of a dearth of research focusing on Latinos. This discussion presents trends from a series of 4 community-based seminars during the 2010-2011 academic year conducted with Latino faith-based groups on men’s health issues. Approximately 70 Latino men attended a series of seminars on health and wellness as it pertains to cancer screening procedures offered after church services. A particular emphasis was placed on perceived masculinity (machismo) and gender roles within the social environment, and how they influence health screenings among men, particularly for colorectal, prostate, and testicular cancer. The seminar series were a first step in laying the foundations for future formal effectiveness testing of faith-based facilities serving as a conduit for health promotion efforts among Latinos. This paper presents lessons learned from this new approach in community health outreach efforts. We advocate that faith-based groups can be an efficient and effective way to raise awareness and promote wellness among Latino men

Health Promot Pract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign (SFL) is one of the longest running national multimedia campaigns to promote colorectal cancer screening. Since its inception in 1999, no study has quantified the benefits and costs of SFL. We modeled the impact of SFL campaign on screening rates, assuming that the effect size would range from 0.5% to 10% of the unscreened population exposed to the campaign in the last 14 years. Given the estimated benefits of the campaign and costs, we calculated the cost per person screened (2012 dollars). We hypothesize that if 0.5% of the population exposed to campaign messages were screened for colorectal cancer, an additional 251,000 previously unscreened individuals would be screened. The average cost of SFL per person screened would be $2.44. On the other hand, if 10$0.12. Results indicate that SFL improves screening rates at a relatively low cost per person screened. The findings in this study provide an important starting point and benchmark for future research efforts to determine the benefits and costs of health communication campaigns to promote cancer prevention.20142018-03-05T00:00:00ZCC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States24505055PMC5836740765

The Value and Utility of a Communication Toolkit for Promoting Colorectal Cancer Awareness

This paper explores the process of creating a communication toolkit for promoting colorectal cancer (CRC) awareness throughout MaineHealth, and analyzes survey data about the toolkit’s perceived value and utility. The Colorectal Cancer Communication Toolkit was distributed to the Clinical Leadership Council Colorectal Cancer Dashboard Action Team four times between February 22, and March 23, 2018. Team members were encouraged to use strategies from the toolkit to promote CRC awareness during CRC Awareness Month 2018. Afterwards they were asked to complete an evaluation survey. Respondents rated their satisfaction with toolkit content and clarity as either very satisfied or satisfied, and eleven MaineHealth organizations used at least one tool from the toolkit to promote CRC awareness. Blue enamel buttons promoting the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) as an alternative to colonoscopy for CRC screening were the most highly utilized tool, with 700 blue buttons being distributed to nine out of eleven individual hospitals across MaineHealth. Findings from this research demonstrate that organizations are willing to utilize communication toolkits to promote awareness activities as a means to achieving clinical performance goals, and indicate that efforts to develop additional communication toolkits are perceived as valuable and should be pursued

Assessment of training and technical assistance needs of Colorectal Cancer Control Program Grantees in the U.S.

Background Practitioners often require training and technical assistance to build their capacity to select, adapt, and implement evidence-based interventions (EBIs). The CDC Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) aims to promote CRC screening to increase population-level screening. This study identified the training and technical assistance (TA) needs and preferences for training related to the implementation of EBIs among CRCCP grantees. Methods Twenty-nine CRCCP grantees completed an online survey about their screening activities, training and technical assistance in 2012. They rated desire for training on various evidence-based strategies to increase cancer screening, evidence-based competencies, and program management topics. They also reported preferences for training formats and facilitators and barriers to trainings. Results Many CRCCP grantees expressed the need for training with regards to specific EBIs, especially system-level and provider-directed EBIs to promote CRC screening. Grantees rated these EBIs as more difficult to implement than client-oriented EBIs. Grantees also reported a moderate need for training regarding finding EBIs, assessing organizational capacity, implementing selected EBIs, and conducting process and outcome evaluations. Other desired training topics reported with higher frequency were partnership development and data collection/evaluation. Grantees preferred training formats that were interactive such as on-site trainings, webinars or expert consultants. Conclusions Public health organizations need greater supports for adopting evidence-based interventions, working with organizational-level change, partnership development and data management. Future capacity building efforts for the adoption of EBIs should focus on systems or provider level interventions and key processes for health promotion and should be delivered in a variety of ways to assist local organizations in cancer prevention and control

Iowa Health Benefit Exchange Consumer Outreach & Education Report, December 2012

This report was developed by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and it outlines consumer education and outreach research and strategies for Iowa’s Health Benefit Exchange. It reflects an initial draft plan for further discussion and amendment. Iowa’s Health Benefit Exchange will only succeed if there is stakeholder involvement in the planning process, extensive consumer education and engagement, and continued outreach