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- Interactive online maps show priorities for screening tests throughout the United States.
Cleveland – A study conducted by Cleveland Clinic has identified geographic areas in the United States where strategic efforts to promote colorectal cancer screening could help reduce gaps in health care affecting Hispanic/Latino communities.
The study, reported by the American Journal of Public Health, marks the first step toward conducting neighborhood-level research to address disparities in colorectal cancer screening.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau (USCB), Hispanic/Latinos have the lowest rate of colorectal cancer screening of any racial or ethnic group in the country. Lower screening rates often result in late diagnosis, advanced stages of cancer, and poorer treatment outcomes.
Researchers identified “hot spots” across the country that represent areas where higher percentages of Hispanic/Latino populations are associated with lower rates of colorectal cancer screening. From this information, they developed an interactive online map illustrating their findings. This is the first study to conduct a nationwide geographic analysis to identify local priority areas to increase colorectal cancer screening in those Hispanic/Latino communities.
“This approach allows us to identify population areas that may benefit from educational programs or targeted interventions, taking into account their unique characteristics, such as cultural values and language,” said senior study author Blake Buchalter, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. “The primary goal of this research is to identify key areas where targeted efforts could have the greatest impact on improving colorectal cancer screening among Latinos, based on their region or country of origin.”
To better understand disparities in colorectal cancer screening at the community level, Dr. Buchalter recruited a team of researchers to analyze publicly available screening and population census databases to determine colorectal cancer screening rates in neighborhoods across the country.
The interactive map created by the team provides a tool for health authorities, clinicians and other stakeholders to guide investments and interventions to increase the implementation of screening systems in areas where they are most needed.
Results are categorized by region or country of origin (e.g., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central or South America, Dominican Republic, and Cuba) as reported to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“It’s important to remember that Latino communities are incredibly diverse across many factors, including ancestry, culture and health-related behaviors,” said lead researcher and study author Stephanie Schmit, Ph.D., MPH, vice chair of the Cleveland Clinic Genomic Medicine Institute and interim associate director of the Cancer Population Sciences research center at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. “It’s impossible to be informed without first recognizing the diversity and heterogeneity of these communities.”
“The factors that contribute to screening disparities are not universal,” Dr. Schmit explained. “Some people are affected by financial limitations or access to health services, while others may be limited by language barriers or lack of trust in medical institutions. To better understand those barriers and how to help eliminate them, we need to identify who is being affected and where.”
“In the long term, we hope our work will be a boost for the scientific and biomedical community to delve deeper into these priority areas for colorectal cancer screening and understand what disparities look like on the ground,” said Dr. Buchalter.
“The goal of this research is to help increase colorectal cancer screening rates in these priority areas, which will not only benefit the populations living there, but will also contribute to increasing screening rates nationwide.”
Drs. Buchalter and Schmit hope that in the future their research will stimulate further discussions about public policy and community initiatives aimed at aiding prevention within affected neighborhoods and improving access to health care.
The research was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute. which is supported by the National Institutes of Health, with income from grants identified as R01CA238087 and T32CA091486.
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit, multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing exceptional patient care based on the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical advances, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and around the world for its expertise and care. Cleveland Clinic’s 77,000 employees worldwide include more than 5,658 salaried physicians and researchers and 19,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,699-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, and more than 275 outpatient facilities, including locations in Northeast Ohio; Southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and London, England. In 2022, there were 12.8 million outpatient encounters, 303,000 inpatient admissions and observations, and 270,000 surgeries and procedures across the Cleveland Clinic health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries.
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