Wednesday, January 15, 2025
1/15/2025
West Virginia consistently ranks among the top five states with the highest prevalence of poor health behaviors. In 2020, West Virginia ranked highest in the nation for smoking and depression among adults; second highest in the nation for fair/poor health, obesity, physical disability, and cancer; and fifth highest in physical inactivity. Only 76.5% of West Virginia women aged 50-74 had a mammogram in the past two years according to 2020 statistics, and only 86.3% of West Virginia women had an appropriate cervical cancer screening. Cancer is the second leading cause of death for both West Virginia men and women, which had the highest crude cancer mortality rate in the nation (264.8 per 100,000) in 2020 according to National Center for Health Statistics provisional data. From 2014 to 2018, prostate cancer was the most diagnosed cancer in men, accounting for one-fifth of all male cancers. Breast cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer among females, accounting for a quarter of all cancers diagnosed in West Virginia women. Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer-related death among West Virginia males, and breast cancer was the second leading cause of cancer-related death among West Virginia females. To address this cancer burden, the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (BCCSP) works with the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, the National Program of Cancer Registries, the West Virginia University Cancer Institute, the Mountains of Hope Cancer Coalition, the Colorectal Cancer Control Program, and various other organizations including over 400 combined health systems and clinics to reach and provide screening and diagnostic treatment services to low-income uninsured and underinsured women. The BCCSP works collaboratively with these partners to identify and reach the state’s most vulnerable women, including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ, low literacy, women in rural areas, medically underserved, and people with disabilities, to set and achieve health equity goals and increase screening among these groups. The BCCSP has worked with these partners for over 30 years to increase screening and ensure early detection of breast and cervical cancer to reduce the overall burden of cancer in West Virginia. Enhanced cross-sector data sharing, education and outreach, and evidence-based interventions (EBI) will be key to increased screening over the next five years. As cancer is such a serious problem in West Virginia, it is imperative to have information that can be used to help reduce the cancer burden. The West Virginia Cancer Registry (WVCR) is a statewide population-based registry that collects demographic, tumor, and treatment information on all cases of cancer occurring in the state. This information is used to monitor trends, plan for and evaluate the impact of cancer control programs, allocate health resources, respond to reports of suspected community cancer clusters, and conduct epidemiologic studies. It is critical to the success of the WVCR that a network of cancer prevention and control partners be maintained to ensure widespread use of WVCR data. The state’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP) has been instrumental in building and maintaining such a network. The BCCSP and WVCR are committed to continuing the established partnership with the CCCP. These cancer programs will lead cancer prevention and control efforts by collaborating with other chronic disease programs to maximize integrated strategies and partnerships to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases, assist with disease management, and implement evidence-based approaches to maximize program effectiveness and support qualify of life in West Virginia
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).