Saturday, April 27, 2024
4/27/2024
Navajo women continue to experience prominent health disparities, particularly late stage breast cancer diagnoses being the most common female cancer. Women living on or near the Navajo reservation need an increase and sustainable access to quality breast and cervical cancer screening. This begins by providing current and culturally competent information to these women and by partnering with entities who serve similar populations. Our target population (Population of Focus) is low income, un/under-insured American Indian women who live in communities on or bordering the Navajo reservation. A federally recognized tribe, Navajo has the largest Indian reservation in the country that expands into three states (Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) and is comparable in size to West Virginia. To support our efforts, cancer data must be integrated and utilized in program planning. We will seek out partners that have access to that information. Further, partnerships with tribal government programs, non-profit organizations, and statewide entities that serve a similar population that can work with us on cancer prevention education and screening recruitment activities. Next, the program works with health clinics that are points of access for cancer screening to our mutual clients. Our funding enables us to provide mobile mammography to rural clinics which have no other access to this breast cancer screening, with nearly 400 dates over a 5-year span. These locations are recommended to implement evidence-based intervention focused on both clients and providers. Lastly, program monitoring and evaluation will guide performance improving and higher quality health outcomes. Through these kinds of activities, health inequities will be reduced as the population of focus receives appropriate cancer screening services at routine intervals and completes the cancer continuum of care. The Navajo Breast & Cervical Cancer Prevention Program continues to build upon existing health care and partner infrastructure to leverage collaboration, resources, and clinic level evidence-based interventions to engage the Population of Focus to recruit them to quality cancer screening. The long-term outcomes are surging accessibility to cancer screening, reducing diagnosis disparities, and decreasing cancer mortality on the Navajo reservation.
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).
