Targeting cancer screening programs to certain populations works, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:07 — 1.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

If you’re Hispanic, you’re more likely to respond to health promotion programs that are tailored to you, using language that resonates and is meaningful to you. While that may seem obvious, a new study demonstrates clearly just how effective it can be when it comes to colorectal cancer screening. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, reviews the data.

Nelson: This built what they called the culturally tailored patient navigation program. they were able to enroll 773 folks, 85% of these folks ended up with a colonoscopy. Only about 9% of them canceled the appointments that were established, and about 6% failed to show up. Logistics is a significant issue whether it’s getting them to the screening, worries about the cost, the cost of missing a day of work, all these kinds of things. If these can be managed I think we can get more proactive healthcare maneuvers in place.  :31

Nelson notes that development of such programs is expensive, but the payoff is clear. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.