Grant Number:	5R03CA083338-02 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Omalley, Ann
Organization:	Georgetown University
Project Title:	Primary Care & Cancer Screening in Low-Income Women
Fiscal Year:	2000

Black and Hispanic women have higher potentially avoidable cancer mortality than non-Black and non-Hispanic women. A portion of this excess mortality is due to non- or low-use of cancer screening services. Receipt of a physician's recommendation for screening, and having a regular source of care are two of the strongest predictors of cancer screening. The purpose of this study is to use a conceptual framework to examine the specific features of community-based primary care which promote early detection of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer for low-income black and Hispanic women in Washington D.C. Findings from focus groups about breast cancer screening have revealed the potential to simultaneously increase use of other cancer screening interventions such as cervical and colorectal cancer screening. Given the differences in screening processes for each of these three cancers, it is unknown if factors predicting use of one test relate to receipt of other cancer early detection tests. In this proposal we will conduct a telephone survey to assess the particular features of primary care which are most important to this vulnerable population in the receipt of regular breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. Survey findings will guide a future intervention that modifies one or more important features of primary care in order to increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in community primary care settings. Together, such research has the potential to decrease the disproportionate cancer burden experienced by black and Hispanic women.