Results of the George Washington University cancer center's comprehensive cancer control cancer communication mentorship program and implications for future practice.

PURPOSE: The Comprehensive Cancer Control Cancer Communication Mentorship Program ("Mentorship Program") was created by the George Washington University Cancer Center (GWCC) to provide technical assistance (TA) in implementing evidence-based cancer screening communication interventions and support networking for comprehensive cancer control (CCC) professionals. The Mentorship Program matched entry-to mid-level CCC professionals with health communication and/or CCC experts and offered monthly web-based discussions with academic researchers and practitioners who shared their knowledge and provided applied learning opportunities throughout mentees' project planning, implementation and evaluation. The program objective was for mentees to improve health communication skills and apply evidence-based knowledge to reduce the burden of cancer. METHODS: A mixed methods evaluation was conducted, including a qualitative description of each project and its outcomes as well as quantitative measures of satisfaction with the program and self-rated changes in competence. RESULTS: Mentees represented the following locations: New Jersey, Arkansas, Michigan, West Virginia, and Republic of Palau. Project topics ranged from increasing Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to increasing screening uptake for colorectal cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Evaluation results from pre- and post-program communication competency self-assessments and mid- and post-program surveys revealed that the Mentorship Program advanced personal and professional goals and improved public health communication skills. CONCLUSION: The Mentorship Program achieved its objectives for peer networking and offering expert TA in cancer prevention and control communication, offering a promising model for others involved in supporting implementation of evidence in practice.

Evaluation of the St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program on Cancer Risk Awareness, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intentions Among Fourth-Grade Science Students: Comparisons Between Racially Identifiable/High-Poverty Schools and Racially Diverse/Affluent Schools.

The St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program (SJCECP) aims to teach children about cancer and cancer control behaviors. During the 2012-2014 academic year, we conducted a pilot evaluation of the SJCECP curriculum to determine its impact on cancer risk awareness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions among fourth-grade students participating in the program. Nine local schools and 426 students from the Memphis area participated in the program evaluation. The results of this study show an increase in fourth-grade students' overall cancer risk factor awareness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions after participation in the intervention. The study also compared the mean change score for unaware students (e.g., those whose mean item score was < 3.5 on the pre-test) between students from racially identifiable/high-poverty schools (school group 1; six schools) and racially diverse/affluent schools (school group 2; three schools). Comparison of the mean change score for unaware students between school group 1 and school group 2 showed that increases in overall cancer risk factor awareness in school group 1 were higher than the increases of unaware students seen in school group 2; however, no differences between the changes in attitudes towards cancer risk factors and cancer control intentions and behaviors between the school groups were observed. We conclude that the SJCECP curriculum is successful in promoting cancer risk factor awareness, positive attitudes towards cancer risk factors, and increased cancer control intentions and behaviors among students at the fourth-grade level regardless of school demographics.

How the Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partnership shapes the public health workforce.

This paper explores how, through its extensive network of partners, the Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partnership (National Partnership) has provided a robust array of trainings, learning institutes, webinars, workshops, mentorship programs, and direct technical assistance to comprehensive cancer control programs and coalitions over the past 20 years. Mapping these activities to specific cancer control competencies revealed that the efforts of the National Partnership adequately address the core competencies necessary for an effective workforce and have the potential to increase practitioner capacity to adopt and implement evidence-based cancer control programs. Ensuring the continued availability and uptake of these tools, trainings and partnerships could potentially address gaps and barriers in the public health workforce related to evidence-based practice.

Communication and comprehensive cancer control coalitions: lessons from two decades of campaigns, outreach, and training.

PURPOSE: Comprehensive cancer control (CCC) coalitions and programs have delivered effective models and approaches to reducing cancer burden across the United States over the last two decades. Communication plays an essential role in diverse coalition activities from prevention to survivorship, including organizational and community capacity-building and as cancer control intervention strategies. METHODS: Based upon a review of published CCC research as well as public health communication best practices, this article describes lessons learned to assist CCC coalitions and programs with systematic implementation of communication efforts as key strategies in cancer control. RESULTS: Communication-oriented lessons include (1) effective communication work requires listening and ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, (2) communication interventions should target multiple levels from interpersonal to mediated channels, (3) educational outreach can be a valuable opportunity to bolster coalition effectiveness and cancer control outcomes, and (4) dedicated support is necessary to ensure consistent communication efforts. CONCLUSIONS: External and internal communication strategies can optimize coalition efforts and resources to ultimately help produce meaningful improvement in cancer control outcomes.

Efficacy of the Competency-Based Oncology Patient Navigator Training.

BACKGROUND: Patient navigators play a critical role in working across interdisciplinary cancer teams and guiding patient care throughout the cancer continuum. Training for cancer patient navigators is needed to increase navigator capacity to improve health outcomes, especially given the current climate of provider shortages and high healthcare costs. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the competency-based online Oncology Patient Navigator Training: The Fundamentals, designed by The George Washington University Cancer Center to increase confidence among participants in training learning objectives, which align with patient navigator competencies. METHODS: We analyzed pre- and postlesson data from 671 learners who completed the training from 2015 to 2017 to assess changes in confidence across learning objectives. Questions were asked on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). We calculated summary statistics and compared pre- and postlesson scores using paired t tests. RESULTS: Learners reported statistically significant (P <.001) improvements in confidence across all objectives, increasing from an average mean of 3.6 to 4.3. Learners who completed this training also reported high intention to implement new strategies/skills/information into practice (87.7%). DISCUSSION: The Oncology Patient Navigator Training: The Fundamentals was found to be efficacious in improving participant confidence, and learners intended to apply their training in practice. Further research on how effectively the training prepares participants for certification and for ability to perform navigation duties in practice is warranted. CONCLUSION: This fundamental training for patient navigators increased learners' confidence on competency-based learning objectives.

St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program: The Impact of a Teacher-Led Intervention on Student Knowledge Gains.

In 2006, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, Tennessee) began developing a school-based outreach program known as the St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program (SJCECP). The aim of this program is to teach Memphis-area children about cells, cancer, and healthy habits that can prevent the development of cancer in adulthood. Initial plans for delivery of the program was for St. Jude staff to present the program at local schools. This plan for disseminating instruction was not feasible due to the limited availability of St. Jude staff. As a next step, during the 2012-2014 academic years, we conducted a study entitled SJCECP2, utilizing the SJCECP curriculum, with the objective of evaluating the impact of the educational intervention on knowledge acquisition and retention among fourth-grade students participating in a modified, teacher-led version of the program. Eighteen teachers and 426 students from 10 local schools in the greater Memphis area participated in the program evaluation. This study used a single-group, pre-test/post-test design to determine the impact of the SJCECP intervention on changes in knowledge scores among fourth-grade students. Testing was on cells, cancer, and healthy living. The mean scores increased from 6.45 to 8.12, 5.99 to 7.65, and 5.92 to 7.96 on cell, cancer, and health behaviors units, respectively (all p values <.001). Preliminary evidence suggests that the SJCECP2 intervention is a useful tool for teachers to improve student knowledge of knowledge of cells, cancer, and healthy living concepts at the fourth-grade level.

Cure4Kids for Kids: school-based cancer education outreach.

In 2006, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital created Cure4Kids for Kids, a school-based outreach program. The objectives of this community education program are to teach about cancer and healthy lifestyles and to inspire an interest in science and health-related careers. A multidisciplinary team of St. Jude and outside experts developed and pilot tested age-appropriate educational materials and activities with 4th grade students. Eight schools and more than 800 children have participated in the program since 2006. Teachers and students have demonstrated a very positive response to the program for it being both fun and educational. Cure4Kids for Kids resources have been collected into a teacher's kit and are now freely available online at www.cure4kids.org/kids.

Cure4Kids for Kids: preliminary results on evaluating knowledge acquisition and knowledge retention.

Since 2006 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been developing Cure4Kids for Kids, a school-based outreach program to educate children about cancer and healthy lifestyles with a focus on cancer prevention. An evaluation of student knowledge acquisition and retention for the program at the Grade-4 level was conducted during the 2010-2011 school year. Preliminary results of this evaluation are outlined with some of the challenges for long-term program evaluation of cancer prevention programs.