Friday, November 22, 2024
11/22/2024
Expanding XRAYS ThRough Alliances: Project EXTRA The purpose of Project EXTRA is to address the unmet need of young breast cancer survivors (YBCS) and women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) for resources to help them to learn about, and critically evaluate available treatment and support services and to facilitate shared decision making with care providers. Our target population, YBCS and women with mBC, are challenged to find credible information and resources to optimize health outcomes. They are bombarded with misleading media reports about breast cancer, which can affect their comprehension of their medical situation and options, and adversely affect their decisions and outcomes. Among these women, our priority populations - African American women and Latina women - face additional disparities in awareness and referral to health services and communication with health care providers (HCP). Health literacy gaps contribute to these disparities. Health care providers who are unaware of the cultural context and digital landscape in which YBCS and women with mBC receive health information are challenged in communicating with them and directing them to the appropriate resources and services to optimize their health outcomes. There are gaps in training and tools for HCP and community health workers (CHW) to direct YBCS and women with mBC to these services and resources. To meet this need, we will expand upon our current resources, with an emphasis on creating robust partnerships to reduce disparities, especially among African American and Latina women. We will partner with more than 30 organizations to achieve the following outcomes: Short-term: 1) Increased awareness among YBCS, women with mBC and HCP of strategies to mitigate sexual dysfunction, fertility, mental health, and of healthy lifestyles among YBCS, women with mBC, 2 ) Increased user comprehension of media articles on breast cancer, 3) Increased awareness among HCP of the needs of breast cancer survivors and mBC patients, 4) Improved informed decision-making by YBCS and women with mBC. Intermediate-term: 1) Increased access to emotional/psychosocial support systems for YBCS and women with mBC, 2) Increased access to lifestyle programs, clinical preventive services, and follow-up cancer care for YBCS and women with mBC, 3) Increased use of lifestyle programs, clinical preventive services, and follow-up cancer care by YBCS and women with mBC, 4) Increased HCP referral of patients to lifestyle programs, clinical preventive services, and follow up cancer care for cancer survivors, 5) Increased HCP referrals to guideline-recommended genetic counseling and testing. Long-term: 1) Improved quality of life among YBCS, 2) Increased awareness of clinical trials. We have 4 strategies to accomplish our goals: Strategy 1 will convene over 30 partners, representing diverse stakeholders to address unmet needs at the policy, system and environment (PSE) level. Strategy 2 will develop continuing education workshops for HCP to educate them about the needs of YBCS and women with mBC by presenting high-priority breast cancer topics from three perspectives: original journal articles, digital media coverage, and patient viewpoints. Strategy 3 will connect our target populations, caregivers and HCP, to reliable, information on breast cancer topics, evidence-based guidelines, clinical trials and support services. We will build a comprehensive library of resources, create customized XRAYS portals, including a portal in Spanish, and embed health literacy tools which will aid communication with HCPs. Strategy 4 will train community health workers, patient navigators and promotoras (trained lay CHW in Hispanic communities), to understand media reports on breast cancer and convey information on support services and resources to target and priority populations.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
