Recorded presentation

Ami M. Shah, MPH¹, Steven Whitman, PhD¹, Abigail Silva, MPH¹, and Jocelyn A. Hirschman, MPH². (1) Sinai Health System, Sinai Urban Health Institute, California Ave at 15th St., K439, Chicago, IL 60608, 773-257-6569, shaam@sinai.org, (2) Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health System, California Ave at 15th St., K430, Chicago, IL 60608

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Healthy People 2010 Goals call for reducing morbidity and mortality caused by cancer. Some cancer screenings, when offered early, have been shown to prevent death and disability. Though national cancer-screening rates appear to be improving, racial/ethnic disparities in cancer morbidity and mortality persist and community-level cancer screening surveillance, which would help track such cases, is generally lacking.

A comprehensive health survey was implemented in six racially/ethnically diverse community areas in Chicago. One goal was to document the rate of cancer screening and to examine barriers to accessing preventive care in each community. Face to face interviews were completed with 1,699 adults from randomly selected households.

The HP2010 Goal for sigmiodoscopy/colonscopy among adults age 50+ is 50%, and yet data from our survey indicate that only two of the six communities meet this goal. Among women age 40+ who have received a mammogram in the last two years, all but one community meets the HP2010 goal of 70%. Lastly, survey data show that only two of the four communities meet the HP2010 goal of 90% of women age 18+ who have received a pap smear in the preceding three years. In all three instances, the uninsured are less likely to receive a cancer-screening test than the insured.

Our presentation will examine the social and demographic correlates associated with cancer screening rates and discuss implications of these findings for reducing racial/ethnic disparities in cancer mortality by the year 2010.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the need for community level cancer screening rates; and
• Identify the risk factors and social determinants associated with cancer screening in racially/ethnically diverse communities.

Keywords: Cancer Screening, Health Disparities

Related Web page: www.sinai.org/urban/index.asp

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Sinai Urban Health Institute
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation