Racial and ethnic disparities in smoking prevalence in Israel and the United States: progress to date and prospects for the future.

An article in this journal in 2016 demonstrated that smoking prevalence among Arab men in Israel is greater than among their Jewish counterparts born in Israel, while the reverse is true among Arab and Jewish Israeli women. This is reflected in lung cancer mortality rates. In the U.S., smoking prevalence in the mid-1960s was 20% higher in African American men than in white men, but has since decreased in both groups, and smoking prevalence in the two groups is now nearly identical. The black-white disparity in lung cancer mortality rates has been reduced by more than half as compared to its zenith in the early 1990s. The strategies employed to achieve these gains will continue to be important going forward, and successful strategies employed in Israel in addressing smoking in the male Arab population will be of increasing interest in the U.S. as its Arab population increases.

Social networks as predictors of colorectal cancer screening in African Americans.

BACKGROUND: Early detection can reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality by 15%-33%, and screening is widely recommended for average-risk adults beginning at age 50 years. Colorectal cancer mortality rates are higher in African Americans than in whites, while screening rates are somewhat lower. Individual social networks can reduce emotional and/or logistical barriers to health-promoting but distasteful procedures such as CRC screening. The aim of this study was to examine social network interactions, and their impact on CRC screening among African Americans. We hypothesized a positive association between social network index (SNI) scores and CRC screening. METHODS: In a community intervention trial with four arms, we previously demonstrated the efficacy of a small group educational intervention to promote CRC screening among African Americans. This intervention outperformed a one-on-one educational intervention, a reduced out-of-pocket expense intervention, and a control condition. In the present analysis, we compared the SNI scores for participants in the small group intervention cohort with a comparison group comprised of the other three cohorts. Social networks were assessed using the Social Network Index developed by Cohen. RESULTS: Small group participants had a significantly higher network diversity score (Mean difference 0.71; 95% CI, 0.12-1.31; p=0.0017) than the comparison group. In the second component of the SNI score - the number of people talked to over a two week period - the small group intervention cohort also scored significantly higher than the comparison group. (Mean difference, 9.29; 95% CI, 3.963-14.6266; p=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that social interaction and support was at least partially responsible for the relatively high post-intervention screening rate in the small group intervention participants. Education in small groups could foster strong social networks. Strong and positive network diversity and a large number of people in social networks may enhance CRC screening rates among African Americans.

Persons Who Failed to Obtain Colorectal Cancer Screening Despite Participation in an Evidence-Based Intervention.

In a previous report, we demonstrated the efficacy of an educational intervention focused on increasing colorectal cancer screening rates among African Americans. Despite participating in the intervention, however, nearly two-thirds of participants did not seek and receive screening. Participants were African-Americans over age 49 (N = 257) who had not been screened for colorectal cancer according to guidelines. At baseline, participants completed tests measuring fatalism, perceived stress, self-esteem, attitudes/benefits/barriers, social support, and social network diversity. Those who completed the educational intervention were followed up by telephone to learn if they had been screened. We compared the scores on the psychometric tests of the participants who had been screened against the scores of those who had not. Only the mean scores on the attitudes, benefits, and barriers scale distinguished participants who had been screened from those who had not (p = 0.0816 on bivariate testing and p = 0.0276 in the logistic regression model). Social interaction among participants or social cognitive learning may have played a role in determining which participants were screened, but we were not able to demonstrate this. The major factor distinguishing participants who were not screened was their attitude toward screening at baseline. There is a subset of African Americans who are persistently resistant to screening, and their perspective in this regard must be addressed if colorectal cancer disparities are to be reduced.

Reducing Disparities by way of a Cancer Disparities Research Training Program.

BACKGROUND: For minority populations, there is a continuing disparity in the burden of death and illness from cancer. Research to address this disparity should be conducted by investigators who can best understand and address the needs of culturally diverse communities. However, minorities are under-represented in health-related research. The goal of this project was to develop and evaluate an approach to motivating and preparing master's degree students for careers dedicated to cancer disparities research. METHOD: A Cancer Disparities Research Training Program (CDRTP) was initiated in 2010. The program consists of coursework, practicum experiences, and research opportunities. Assessment of the curriculum is based on monitoring achievement of evaluation indicators and included a mixed-method approach with included both quantitative and qualitative approach. RESULTS: In its first three years, the program graduated 20 trainees, all of whom were minorities (18 African Americans and two Asians). When asked about career goals, two-thirds of the trainees indicated interest in pursuing careers in research in cancer prevention and control. The trainees expressed high satisfaction with the courses, instructor, materials, and curriculum. Although trainees had suggestions about course details, evaluations overall were positive. Across focus groups, three recurrent themes emerged regarding activities to enhance the trainee experience: having a wider variety of topics, more guest speakers, and field trips. CONCLUSION: The CDRTP was intended to recruit students - primarily African Americans - into research on prevention and control of cancer disparities. Although final evaluation of the program's overall outcome will not be available for several years, this preliminary evaluation indicates early program success.

Toward the Elimination of Colorectal Cancer Disparities Among African Americans.

BACKGROUND: In the USA, race and socioeconomic status are well-known factors associated with colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates. These are higher among blacks than whites and other racial/ethnic groups. METHODS: In this article, we review opportunities to address disparities in colorectal cancer incidence, mortality, and survivorship among African Americans. RESULTS: First, we summarize the primary prevention of colorectal cancer and recent advances in the early detection of the disease and disparities in screening. Then, we consider black-white disparities in colorectal cancer treatment and survival including factors that may contribute to such disparities and the important roles played by cultural competency, patient trust in one's physician, and health literacy in addressing colorectal cancer disparities, including the need for studies involving the use of colorectal cancer patient navigators who are culturally competent. CONCLUSION: To reduce these disparities, intervention efforts should focus on providing high-quality screening and treatment for colorectal cancer and on educating African Americans about the value of diet, weight control, screening, and treatment. Organized approaches for delivering colorectal cancer screening should be accompanied by programs and policies that provide access to diagnostic follow-up and treatment for underserved populations.

Community-based participatory research principles for the African American community.

BACKGROUND: Numerous sets of principles have been developed to guide the conduct of community-based participatory research (CBPR). However, they tend to be written in language that is most appropriate for academics and other research professionals; they may not help lay people from the community understand CBPR. METHODS: Many community members of the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer assisting with the Educational Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (EPICS) had little understanding of CBPR. We engaged community members in developing culturally-specific principles for conducting academic-community collaborative research. RESULTS: We developed a set of CBPR principles intended to resonate with African-American community members. CONCLUSIONS: Applying NBLIC-developed CBPR principles contributed to developing and implementing an intervention to increase colorectal cancer screening among African Americans.

Prostate Cancer Screening and Mortality in Blacks and Whites: A Hospital-based Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer incidence and mortality are substantially higher in Black than in white men. Prostate cancer screening remains controversial. This study was conducted to assess the impact of, and racial differences in, prostate cancer screening on prostate cancer mortality. METHODS: This was a case-control study of Black and White men in eight hospitals. Cases were deaths related to prostate cancer; controls were hospital-based subjects that were frequency-matched to cases based on age and race. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association between screening and prostate cancer mortality. RESULTS: Cases had fewer PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests than controls (1.73 vs. 3.98, p<0.001). White controls had higher rates of PSA tests than other sub-groups. There was no difference in PSA testing between Black cases and controls. Mean co-morbidity was 10.3 in cases and 2.63 in controls. Prostate cancer mortality was 55 to 57% lower among the screened persons. Individuals who died of prostate cancer related causes were less likely to have received PSA testing (OR=0.65; 95% Cl 0.56-0.75). CONCLUSIONS: The odds of dying from prostate cancer were lower among white men receiving screening tests. Having less co-morbidity was associated with lower odds of mortality in both races. This study raises the possibility that screening for prostate cancer with the PSA test may be more effective in white than in Black men.

Black white disparities in receiving a physician recommendation for colorectal cancer screening and reasons for not undergoing screening.

There is consensus that all adults over 50 years of age, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, should receive a physician recommendation for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Disparities in CRC screening result in poorer health outcomes for blacks than for whites. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are black-white differences in receiving a physician recommendation for CRC screening and reasons for undergoing screening. With 12,729 U.S. adults ages 50 to 74 included in the analysis, Whites were more likely than blacks to report receiving a physician recommendation for CRC screening. Based on age-adjusted odds ratio, one out of three blacks were less likely to report receiving a CRC screening recommendation from their physician (OR=0.68, 95% CI 0.57,0.81). This association persisted after adjusting for socioeconomic and other health-related factors (OR=0.61; 95% CI 0.53,0.71). This study suggests that additional steps need to be taken to reduce cancer health disparities.

Efficacy to effectiveness transition of an Educational Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (EPICS): study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality and are less likely than whites to have been screened for colorectal cancer (CRC). Many interventions have been shown to increase CRC screening in research settings, but few have been evaluated specifically for use in African-American communities in real world settings. This study aims to identify the most efficacious approach to disseminate an evidence-based intervention in promoting colorectal screening in African Americans and to identify the factors associated with its efficacy. METHODS/DESIGN: In this study, investigators will recruit 20 community coalitions and 7,200 African-Americans age 50 to 74 to test passive and active approaches to disseminating the Educational Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (EPICS); to measure the extent to which EPICS is accepted and the fidelity of implementation in various settings and to estimate the potential translatability and public health impact of EPICS. This four-arm cluster randomized trial compares the following implementation strategies: passive arms, (web access to facilitator training materials and toolkits without technical assistance (TA) and (web access, but with technical assistance (TA); active arms, (in-person access to facilitator training materials and toolkits without TA and (in-person access with TA). Primary outcome measures are the reach (the proportion of representative community coalitions and individuals participating) and efficacy (post-intervention changes in CRC screening rates). Secondary outcomes include adoption (percentage of community coalitions implementing the EPICS sessions) and implementation (quality and consistency of the intervention delivery). The extent to which community coalitions continue to implement EPICS post-implementation (maintenance) will also be measured. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted. DISCUSSION: Implementing EPICS in partnership with community coalitions, we hypothesized, will result in more rapid adoption than traditional top-down approaches, and resulting changes in community CRC screening practices are more likely to be sustainable over time. With its national reach, this study has the potential to enhance our understanding of barriers and enablers to the uptake of educational programs aimed at eliminating cancer disparities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01805622.

Community health workers support community-based participatory research ethics: lessons learned along the research-to-practice-to-community continuum.

Ethical principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR)--specifically, community engagement, mutual learning, action-reflection, and commitment to sustainability--stem from the work of Kurt Lewin and Paulo Freire. These are particularly relevant in cancer disparities research because vulnerable populations are often construed to be powerless, supposedly benefiting from programs over which they have no control. The long history of exploiting minority individuals and communities for research purposes (the U.S. Public Health Service Tuskegee Syphilis Study being the most notorious) has left a legacy of mistrust of research and researchers. The purpose of this article is to examine experiences and lessons learned from community health workers (CHWs) in the 10-year translation of an educational intervention in the research-to-practice-to-community continuum. We conclude that the central role played by CHWs enabled the community to gain some degree of control over the intervention and its delivery, thus operationalizing the ethical principles of CBPR.

The Southeastern U.S. Collaborative Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities (SUCCEED): reducing breast and cervical cancer disparities for African American women.

This supplement highlights the efforts of Morehouse School of Medicine's Prevention Research Center and its partners to reduce the disparities experienced by African American women for breast and cervical cancer in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The project (entitled the Southeastern U.S. Collaborative CEED, or SUCCEED) is supported by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to establish a Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities (CEED). This introductory paper provides an overview describing the project's goals and core components and closes by introducing the adjoining papers that describe in more detail these components. The program components for SUCCEED include providing training and technical assistance for implementing evidence-based interventions for breast and cervical cancer; supporting capacity-building and sustainability efforts for community-based organizations; promoting the establishment of new empowered community coalitions and providing advocacy training to cancer advocates in order to affect health systems and policies.

Driving to better health: cancer and cardiovascular risk assessment among taxi cab operators in Chicago.

While a number of investigations of the health of taxi cab drivers have been conducted in Europe, Asia, and Africa, virtually none have been conducted in the United States. We undertook a survey of taxi cab operators in the Chicago area to understand better their health status and health promotion practices. The survey was completed by a convenience sample of 751 Chicago taxi drivers. Taxi drivers had low rates of insurance coverage, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity compared with the general Chicago population. Participation in cancer screening tests was also lower for this group. A high proportion of taxi drivers are immigrants. They tend to be highly educated and report a readiness to engage in more health-promoting behaviors. Further research is needed to develop a targeted intervention for this population.

Operationalization of community-based participatory research principles: assessment of the national cancer institute's community network programs.

OBJECTIVES: We examined how National Cancer Institute-funded Community Network Programs (CNPs) operationalized principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). METHODS: We reviewed the literature and extant CBPR measurement tools. On the basis of that review, we developed a 27-item questionnaire for CNPs to self-assess their operationalization of 9 CBPR principles. Our team comprised representatives of 9 of the National Cancer Institute's 25 CNPs. RESULTS: Of the 25 CNPs, 22 (88%) completed the questionnaire. Most scored well on CBPR principles of recognizing community as a unit of identity, building on community strengths, facilitating colearning, embracing iterative processes in developing community capacity, and achieving a balance between data generation and intervention. CNPs varied in the extent to which they employed CBPR principles of addressing determinants of health, sharing power among partners, engaging the community in research dissemination, and striving for sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Although the development of assessment tools in this field is in its infancy, our findings suggest that fidelity to CBPR processes can be assessed in a variety of settings.

Training physicians to do office-based smoking cessation increases adherence to PHS guidelines.

UNLABELLED: Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable mortality and morbidity in the United States. Healthcare providers can contribute significantly to the war against tobacco use; patients advised to quit smoking by their physicians are 1.6 times more likely to quit than patients not receiving physician advice. However, most smokers do not receive this advice when visiting their physicians. The Morehouse School of Medicine Tobacco Control Research Program was undertaken to develop best practices for implementing the "2000 Public Health Services Clinical Practice Guidelines on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence" and the "Pathways to Freedom" tobacco cessation program among African American physicians in private practice and healthcare providers at community health centers. Ten focus groups were conducted; 82 healthcare professionals participated. Six major themes were identified as barriers to the provision of smoking cessation services. An intervention was developed based on these results and tested among Georgia community-based physicians. A total of 308 charts were abstracted both pre- and post-intervention. Charts were scored using a system awarding one point for each of the five "A's" recommended by the PHS guidelines (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) employed during the patient visit. The mean pre-intervention five "A's" score was 1.29 compared to 1.90 post-intervention (P < 0.001). All charts had evidence of the first "A" ("asked") both pre- and post-intervention, and the other four "A's" all had statistically significant increases pre-to post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that, with training of physicians, compliance with the PHS tobacco guidelines can be greatly improved.

A trial of 3 interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening in African Americans.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. CRC incidence and mortality rates are higher among blacks than among whites, and screening rates are lower in blacks than in whites. For the current study, the authors tested 3 interventions that were intended to increase the rate of CRC screening among African Americans. METHODS: The following interventions were chosen to address evidence gaps in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guide to Community Preventive Services: one-on-one education, group education, and reducing out-of-pocket costs. Three hundred sixty-nine African-American men and women aged > or =50 years were enrolled in this randomized, controlled community intervention trial. The main outcome measures were postintervention increase in CRC knowledge and obtaining a screening test within 6 months. RESULTS: There was substantial attrition: Two hundred fifty-seven participants completed the intervention and were available for follow-up 3 months to 6 months later. Among completers, there were significant increases in knowledge in both educational cohorts but in neither of the other 2 cohorts. By the 6-month follow-up, 17.7% (11 of 62 participants) of the Control cohort reported having undergone screening compared with 33.9% (22 of 65 participants) of the Group Education cohort (P = .039). Screening rate increases in the other 2 cohorts were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that group education could increase CRC cancer screening rates among African Americans. The screening rate of <35% in a group of individuals who participated in an educational program through multiple sessions over a period of several weeks indicated that there still are barriers to overcome.

Abnormal mammogram follow-up: do community lay health advocates make a difference?

This pilot study evaluates a community lay health advocate (CLHA) intervention in promoting follow-up for abnormal mammograms among African American women. A controlled trial was implemented at an urban hospital in Atlanta, with 48 women in a CLHA intervention group and 35 in a usual care group. Participants were 25 or older and had an abnormal mammogram between March 25, 2002, and May 2, 2003. Intervention group women received CLHA support including encouragement of timely abnormal mammogram follow-up, reminders of follow-up appointments, identification and removal of barriers to follow-up, and accompaniment to follow-up appointments. Women in the intervention group were significantly more likely to keep their first abnormal mammogram follow-up appointment, all of their scheduled follow-up appointments, and their biopsy or fine needle aspiration appointment. CLHAs are effective in promoting abnormal mammogram followup among African American women and may be an important resource in reducing racial disparities in breast cancer mortality.

Barriers to the provision of smoking cessation services reported by clinicians in underserved communities.

PURPOSE: This qualitative study describes barriers to the provision of smoking cessation services among primary care providers serving medically underserved populations in the state of Georgia. METHODS: Eighty-two health care professionals, including clinicians, nurses, administrators, and support staff, participated in 10 focus groups. All sessions were audiotaped and transcribed. A line-by-line analysis of each transcript was conducted. RESULTS: Barriers were grouped into 5 major themes: lack of time, patient unreadiness to change, inadequate patient resources, inadequate provider resources, and inadequate cessation clinical skills. Within this framework, a number of barriers were identified that are of special importance when caring for the underserved. Examples included the tendency of patients to present in "crisis" rather than on an appointment basis; patients' inability to pay out-of-pocket expenses for drug therapy; patients' inability to take time from work for cessation services; limited prescribing authority for clinicians in certain settings; inadequate availability of patient education materials, especially non-English materials; and the need for additional training in smoking cessation for providers. CONCLUSION: "Safety net" providers encounter barriers to providing smoking cessation services that are similar to barriers faced by clinicians serving more affluent and nonminority populations, but also encounter additional barriers that apply most particularly to the underserved.

CDC-funded intervention research aimed at promoting colorectal cancer screening in communities.

BACKGROUND: Although strong scientific evidence has shown that screening for colorectal cancer saves lives, most U.S. adults who are at the recommended age are not being screened. Prior studies suggest that barriers to routine screening vary by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, urban/rural residence, health insurance status, and factors related to health care providers and the health care environment. Relatively few studies, however, have identified and tested intervention approaches to promote routine colorectal cancer screening among diverse populations. METHODS: The Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at CDC has funded ongoing projects to develop and test interventions to promote routine colorectal cancer screening among medically underserved populations in Appalachia, the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, the High Plains region of Colorado, and other U.S. communities. RESULTS: This article provides an overview of colorectal cancer screening intervention studies currently funded by CDC that focus on a wide range of populations, including medically underserved persons who live in predominately rural areas, Hispanic and non-Hispanic persons, urban African Americans, persons with low health literacy, and persons enrolled in managed care organizations. CONCLUSIONS: These CDC-funded intervention research projects are likely to contribute importantly to evidence about what works to promote colorectal cancer screening in diverse U.S. communities. .

A web-based smoking cessation and prevention curriculum for medical students: why, how, what, and what next.

This paper summarises some major developments in medical education relating to the health risks of tobacco and to training in tobacco cessation and prevention strategies, and discusses some of the barriers to training. We also describe a project whose purpose was to design, implement and evaluate a web-based self-study tobacco curriculum for medical students to teach medical students to assist smokers to quit and to counsel non-smoking adolescents not to start smoking. This curriculum addresses some of the barriers, namely lack of curriculum time, lack of access to materials and experts, and relevance of the materials. The project was designed and evaluated at two medical schools in Georgia: Morehouse School of Medicine and Mercer University School of Medicine. A curriculum on tobacco control strategies and techniques designed for use in clinical settings was made available to first-year medical students as interactive computer-based tutorials. The curriculum, based on the US Public Health Service Clinical Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, was divided into two parts: the tutorial and practicum sections. Pre- and post-exposure measures were collected for the evaluation. The mean differences for correctly answered knowledge items in the two schools were similar: mean for Morehouse was +2.07 and for Mercer +1.67, indicating improvements in knowledge for both schools. There were statistically significant improvements in all categories of self-rated ability to perform six counselling skills, except for Mercer students for the 'Ask' skill category (p=0.069). The amount of exposure (measured only at Morehouse) was not related to overall change in scores but was associated with self-reported improvement in skill in assisting patients to quit smoking, confidence in counselling patients not interested in quitting, and confidence in counselling teens. The web-based curriculum successfully improved the students' self-rated counselling skills. Given the need and desire on the part of practitioners for training, the curriculum may be found useful by practising physicians and other health-care professionals who wish to improve their skills in smoking prevention and cessation.

Impact of a two-city community cancer prevention intervention on African Americans.

We report the first multisite, multicomponent community intervention trial to focus on cancer prevention in African Americans. The project explored the potential of historically black medical schools to deliver health information to their local communities and used a community-based participatory research approach. The intervention consisted of culturally sensitive messages at appropriate educational levels delivered over an 18-month period and tested in predominantly black census tracts in Nashville, TN and Atlanta, GA. Chattanooga, TN and Decatur, GA served as comparison cities. Results were evaluated by pre- and postintervention random-digit dial telephone surveys. The intervention cities showed an increase in reported contact with or knowledge of the project. There was little or no effect on knowledge or attitudes in the intervention cities. Compared to Chattanooga, Nashville showed an increase in percentage of women receiving Pap smears. Compared to Decatur, Atlanta showed an increase in percentage of age-appropriate populations receiving digital rectal exams, colorectal cancer screenings and mammograms. The results of this community intervention trial demonstrated modest success and are encouraging for future efforts of longer duration.