Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Covid19
Conditions
Keywords
Cancer screening, COVID19, Underserved communities, Community based-participation, Social Media, Informational videos, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Lifespan, Blackstone Valley, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, Minorities, Equitable healthcare
Brief summary
Lifespan Cancer Institute serves over 50% of cancer patients in the state. Rhode Island is known for strong medical care and high rates of cancer screening with mammography and colonoscopy. However, cancer screening has plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in part to closing physician offices and stopping non-urgent medical procedures. In addition, anecdotal reports suggest the public remains concerned about returning to physician's offices and risking possible exposure to COVID-19. As in the United States as a whole, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted ethnic and minority individuals within underserved communities; and in Rhode Island, African Americans, Hispanics and undocumented individuals living in communities such as Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, East Providence and North Providence have had the highest rate of COVID-19. These communities are also impacted by healthcare disparities to access and affordability of healthcare, and as such, may be among the least likely to resume cancer screening. The Lifespan Cancer Institute will institute a project to address health disparities in cancer screening during the pandemic through the use of a targeted campaign involving social media. The goals will be to re-establish screening in the era of COVID-19 and ensure timeliness of care for those found to be at risk, or are positive for, cancer.
Detailed description
This project will focus on improving breast and colorectal cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic in underserved populations of Rhode Island. The investigators will engage the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center. Dr. Don Dizon, a national leader in social media, will be a key participant. Dr. Don Dizon is a world expert using electronic communication and social media in the oncology practice. Dr. Dizon chairs the Digital Engagement Committee for the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) a national cancer institute cooperative group. He is a co-principal investigator of an NIH grant studying electronic patient reported outcomes - the SIMPRO Research Consortium. Dr. Dizon is also head of the American Society of Oncology (ASCO) Educational Committee and is well positioned to disseminate the knowledge gathered from the current project through ASCO activities. The initial project may be to discuss with the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center the possibility of developing short videos in multiple languages on the importance of cancer screening. The investigators will engage staff and patients of the BVCHC and the community to participate within the videos as a model of community-based participation. These informational videos could be distributed directly to the community via social media platforms. Data will be collecting on the rates of cancer screening including age, sex and race. These data could be compared to different cities within Rhode Island and the United States
Interventions
BEHAVIORALInformational videos and social media campaigns encouraging cancer screening.
Informational videos will be made using community members and will be played in the Blackstone Valley Health Center, as well as posted on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. These videos will encourage at risk populations in the selected areas to visit their physicians to discuss the possibility of undergoing screening procedures for either breast or colorectal cancer. Data will then be collected about the rates of screening and will be compared to the screening rates from the time period of March 9th 2020 to May 31st 2020, with the goal of increasing screening rates by 25%.
Sponsors
Blackstone Valley Community Health Care
Rhode Island Hospital
Study design
Observational model
ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
* Increased risk of either colorectal or breast cancer * Living in an under-served area of Rhode Island
Exclusion criteria
\- None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Increase screening rates for breast and colorectal cancer | 2 years | Increase screening rates for breast and colorectal cancer among underserved populations by 25% using March 9 through May 31 as a benchmark, coinciding the Executive Orders for COVID19 announced by Governor Raimondo. |
| Impact of screening on cancer care | 2 years | Evaluate the impact of screening on timeliness of cancer care among these populations by comparing to the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Quality Oncology Performance Initiative (QOPI) guidelines in breast and colorectal cancer. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Community Engagement | 2 Years | Evaluate strategies of engagement in these communities as it relates to: -Social media platform (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) These metrics will be determined by social media statistics for engagement and the number of calls/queries to the designated information lines. |
| Barriers to cancer screening during COVID19. | 2 Years | Evaluate barriers to cancer screening in these populations as it particularly relates to COVID19. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Educate the community on the importance of cancer screening | 5-10 years | We will educate staff, community physicians and Rhode Island residents on the importance of cancer screening. We will use community-based partnerships to overcome distrust of institutions and develop an engaged community network. Long term academic goals include publication of data and successfully receiving local and federal funding for continued research. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactHoward Safran, MD
Outcome results
None listed