Racial residential segregation and colorectal cancer mortality in the Mississippi Delta Region

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined the effects of racial segregation on colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes, and none has determined whether rurality moderates the effect of racial segregation on CRC mortality. We examined whether the effect of segregation on CRC mortality varied by rurality in the Mississippi Delta Region, an economically distressed and historically segregated region of the United States. METHODS: We used data from the US Census Bureau and the 1999-2018 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to estimate mixed linear regression models in which CRC mortality rates among Black and White residents in Delta Region counties (N = 252) were stratified by rurality and regressed on White-Black residential segregation indices and 4 socioeconomic control variables. RESULTS: Among Black residents, CRC mortality rates in urban counties were a function of a squared segregation term (b = 162.78, P = .01), indicating that the relationship between segregation and CRC mortality was U-shaped. Among White residents, main effects of annual household income (b = 29.01, P = .04) and educational attainment (b = 34.58, P = .03) were associated with CRC mortality rates in urban counties, whereas only annual household income (b = 19.44, P = .04) was associated with CRC mortality rates in rural counties. Racial segregation was not associated with CRC mortality rates among White residents. CONCLUSION: Our county-level analysis suggests that health outcomes related to racial segregation vary by racial, contextual, and community factors. Segregated rural Black communities may feature stronger social bonds among residents than urban communities, thus increasing interpersonal support for cancer prevention and control. Future research should explore the effect of individual-level factors on colorectal cancer mortality

Development of a Multilevel Intervention to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Appalachia

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are lower in Appalachian regions of the United States than in non-Appalachian regions. Given the availability of various screening modalities, there is critical need for culturally relevant interventions addressing multiple socioecological levels to reduce the regional CRC burden. In this report, we describe the development and baseline findings from year 1 of “Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) in Appalachia,” a 5-year, National Cancer Institute Cancer MoonshotSM-funded multilevel intervention (MLI) project to increase screening in Appalachian Kentucky and Ohio primary care clinics. Methods Project development was theory-driven and included the establishment of both an external Scientific Advisory Board and a Community Advisory Board to provide guidance in conducting formative activities in two Appalachian counties: one in Kentucky and one in Ohio. Activities included identifying and describing the study communities and primary care clinics, selecting appropriate evidence-based interventions (EBIs), and conducting a pilot test of MLI strategies addressing patient, provider, clinic, and community needs. Results Key informant interviews identified multiple barriers to CRC screening, including fear of screening, test results, and financial concerns (patient level); lack of time and competing priorities (provider level); lack of reminder or tracking systems and staff burden (clinic level); and cultural issues, societal norms, and transportation (community level). With this information, investigators then offered clinics a menu of EBIs and strategies to address barriers at each level. Clinics selected individually tailored MLIs, including improvement of patient education materials, provision of provider education (resulting in increased knowledge, p = .003), enhancement of electronic health record (EHR) systems and development of clinic screening protocols, and implementation of community CRC awareness events, all of which promoted stool-based screening (i.e., FIT or FIT-DNA). Variability among clinics, including differences in EHR systems, was the most salient barrier to EBI implementation, particularly in terms of tracking follow-up of positive screening results, whereas the development of clinic-wide screening protocols was found to promote fidelity to EBI components. Conclusions Lessons learned from year 1 included increased recognition of variability among the clinics and how they function, appreciation for clinic staff and provider workload, and development of strategies to utilize EHR systems. These findings necessitated a modification of study design for subsequent years. Trial registration Trial NCT04427527 is registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov and was registered on June 11, 2020

“IAmSizeSexy”: A Health Communication Body Image Study

Objective The aim of this study was to formatively evaluate a health communication campaign on body image targeting undergraduate female students. Participants A total of 331 students at a large public Midwestern university participated in the study. Methods Researchers used central intercept procedures to recruit students from residence halls. After viewing the campaign materials, students completed an online survey assessing their message endorsement and level of eating disorder symptomology and provided open-ended comments. Results Students appreciated the message and thought it was effective, though students with greater body image concerns were less receptive to the message. Thematic analysis indicated students perceive body image to be a relevant issue, yet they want the university to provide more attention to, and information on, the topic. Conclusions Overall, students understood the message and found it helpful. Nevertheless, students with body image issues responded less favorably, warranting the need for secondary and tertiary prevention

Social Norms vs. Fear Appeals: Mixing Alcohol with Prescription Drugs–A Message Testing Study

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived effectiveness of a social norms message to a fear appeal message regarding prescription drug use and alcohol interactions among college students. Participants: Participants (n = 378) were college students enrolled at a large public Midwest university. Methods: Researchers used a cross-sectional research design to collect data from undergraduate college students. Messages were randomly assigned to one of two residence halls and were assessed using an electronic survey. Participants anonymously evaluated the messages based on their understanding, interest, creativity, believability, relevance, and usefulness using an online questionnaire. Results: Results from the General Linear Model analysis indicated a significant effect for the gender x message interaction, with females rating the fear appeal message higher than males. Significant effects were also found for the main effects of gender, message type, and Greek status. Conclusion: Overall, students preferred the fear appeal to the social norms message. Participants found the social norms message less believable than the fear appeal and indicated they understood the fear appeal better than the social norms message. However, social norm messages appeared to resonate better with abstainers than with regular alcohol users

A Framework for Equitable Partnerships to Promote Cancer Prevention and Control in Rural Settings

Rural populations continue to experience persistent cancer disparities compared with urban populations particularly in cancers that can be prevented or detected early through screening and vaccination. Although the National Cancer Institute and the larger cancer research community have identified rural community partnerships as the foundation for reducing the disparities, we have identified limited application of community-based participatory research in cancer prevention and control research. Guided by the Community-Based Participatory Research Conceptual Model and our collective experience, we provide a framework for a community-cancer center partnership that focuses on promoting health equity. In this commentary, we articulate that the partnership process must foster capacity for communities and cancer centers, strive for rural representation in clinical trials and biobanking, build a pipeline for dissemination and implementation research, and create a bidirectional flow of knowledge between communities and academic institutions. Authentic partnerships with rural communities should be the ultimate goal of cancer centers, and the process described in this commentary can serve as an initial platform to build capacity and continue to strive toward that goal