Improving Cancer Screening and Prevention During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Underserved Populations of Rhode Island

Lifespan

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Breast Cancer; Covid19; Colorectal Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Informational videos and social media campaigns encouraging cancer screening.

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04587258

1613494-3

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Increased risk of either colorectal or breast cancer
• Living in an under-served area of Rhode Island

Exclusion criteria

• None

Trial design

100 participants in 2 patient groups

Breast Cancer

Description:

Subjects will be encouraged through informational videos and social media campaigns to visit their doctors to get screened for breast cancer using mammograms.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Informational videos and social media campaigns encouraging cancer screening.

Colorectal Cancer

Description:

Subjects will be encouraged through informational videos and social media campaigns to visit their doctors to get screened for breast cancer using colonoscopies

Treatment:

Behavioral: Informational videos and social media campaigns encouraging cancer screening.