Lifespan Cancer Institute serves over 50% of cancer patients in the state. Rhode Island is known for strong medical care and high rates of cancer screening with mammography and colonoscopy. However, cancer screening has plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in part to closing physician offices and stopping non-urgent medical procedures. In addition, anecdotal reports suggest the public remains concerned about returning to physician's offices and risking possible exposure to COVID-19. As in the United States as a whole, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted ethnic and minority individuals within underserved communities; and in Rhode Island, African Americans, Hispanics and undocumented individuals living in communities such as Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, East Providence and North Providence have had the highest rate of COVID-19. These communities are also impacted by healthcare disparities to access and affordability of healthcare, and as such, may be among the least likely to resume cancer screening. The Lifespan Cancer Institute will institute a project to address health disparities in cancer screening during the pandemic through the use of a targeted campaign involving social media. The goals will be to re-establish screening in the era of COVID-19 and ensure timeliness of care for those found to be at risk, or are positive for, cancer.
This project will focus on improving breast and colorectal cancer screening during the
COVID-19 pandemic in underserved populations of Rhode Island. The investigators will engage
the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center. Dr. Don Dizon, a national leader in social
media, will be a key participant.
Dr. Don Dizon is a world expert using electronic communication and social media in the
oncology practice. Dr. Dizon chairs the Digital Engagement Committee for the Southwest
Oncology Group (SWOG) a national cancer institute cooperative group. He is a co-principal
investigator of an NIH grant studying electronic patient reported outcomes - the SIMPRO
Research Consortium. Dr. Dizon is also head of the American Society of Oncology (ASCO)
Educational Committee and is well positioned to disseminate the knowledge gathered from the
current project through ASCO activities.
The initial project may be to discuss with the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center the
possibility of developing short videos in multiple languages on the importance of cancer
screening. The investigators will engage staff and patients of the BVCHC and the community to
participate within the videos as a model of community-based participation. These
informational videos could be distributed directly to the community via social media
platforms. Data will be collecting on the rates of cancer screening including age, sex and
race. These data could be compared to different cities within Rhode Island and the United
States
Behavioral: Informational videos and social media campaigns encouraging cancer screening.
Informational videos will be made using community members and will be played in the Blackstone Valley Health Center, as well as posted on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. These videos will encourage at risk populations in the selected areas to visit their physicians to discuss the possibility of undergoing screening procedures for either breast or colorectal cancer. Data will then be collected about the rates of screening and will be compared to the screening rates from the time period of March 9th 2020 to May 31st 2020, with the goal of increasing screening rates by 25%.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Increased risk of either colorectal or breast cancer
- Living in an under-served area of Rhode Island
Exclusion Criteria:
- None
Blackstone Valley Community Health Center
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States
Investigator: Cristina Pacheco, MD
Contact: 401-312-9898
cpacheco@bvchc.org
Howard Safran, MD
1 (844) 222-2881
HSafran@lifespan.org