North Dakota Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY
The purpose of the North Dakota Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ND BC) is to increase the availability, accessibility, and quality of breast and cervical cancer screening services for North Dakota (ND) women ages 40 through 64 for breast cancer services, women ages 21 through 64 for cervical cancer services, and prioritizing populations that have higher rates of breast and cervical cancer but less access to services. Program efforts focus on disproportionately burdened populations such as women living in rural and frontier geographic areas, uninsured or underinsured women, medically underserved, and identified populations of focus – American Indian, Black, Hispanic, and Asian women – experiencing health inequities for breast and cervical cancer.
ND BC utilizes a comprehensive, coordinated approach to inform the implementation of proven strategies to provide breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services, and treatment referrals to women with lower incomes who are uninsured or underinsured; and facilitate implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in the clinics that serve them. ND BC works cooperatively at the state, tribal, and community levels and engages with other cancer and chronic disease programs, and other organizations to collectively address a community’s cancer burden. This leads to identification of specific strategies to focus on the issues that cause some people to be diagnosed with cancer more often or experience poorer health outcomes than others. This allows ND BC to leverage resources and avoid duplication of effort. Use of available surveillance data and evaluation findings are integral to implementation and program improvement.
Reaching those who are low-income and/or uninsured or underinsured and navigating them towards ND BC for access to breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services at no cost is a primary strategy. It is estimated that there are approximately 23,000 women eligible for breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services in North Dakota. It is anticipated that ND BC will serve 1,500 women in program year 1, increasing our annual screening goal by 10% each year with a 5-year project total of just over 9,000 women served.
The short-term outcomes identified for ND BC are targeted locally, with specific populations in mind and partners who have established and close interactions with these populations. Increased access to health/community/social services among program-eligible women through partnerships should lead to an increased number of women from populations disproportionately affected by breast and cervical cancer who experience higher mortality served. Other intermediate outcomes include increased early detection of breast and cervical cancer; increased adherence to timely diagnostic follow-up; increased timely cancer treatment referral; and increased utilization of needed health, community, and social services among program-eligible women. Achievement of these intermediate outcomes should realize decreased inequities in screening and follow-up services among populations disproportionately affected by breast and cervical cancer. Yielding the desired outcomes of decreased cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality, and a reduction in cancer disparities.
Program 2 Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP) - North Dakota Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, Project Abstract Summary was uploaded in Other Attachments.