CANCER DISPARITIES NEWS DIGEST (12.18.06)
HOLIDAY ISSUE: PART 1 of 2
In This Issue...
CRCHD Announcements
NCI Limited Competition Supplements for Pilot Projects for Community Networks Program to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (U01)
The purpose of this limited competition RFA is to solicit competitive
supplements from the NCI Community Networks Program (CNP) awardees for pilot
projects in community-based participatory research to reduce health disparities
as part of the Community Networks Program RFA-CA-05-012
requirement.
Deadline for Letter of Intent: Nov. 20, 2006; May 29,
2007.
http://grants.nih.gov
CRCHD Launched New Website November 17
Updated and redesigned features include downloadable resources and tools for
researchers, health disparities mortality and trend data, seminal reports and
milestones, and information about CRCHD programs and grantees.
Visit our
website at
http://crchd.cancer.gov
Cancer News from NCI, NIH, and other Federal Agencies
From the NCI Director
John E. Niederhuber Officially Sworn In as 13th Director of the National Cancer Institute
John E. Niederhuber, M.D., was sworn in as the Director of the National
Cancer Institute (NCI) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006. Niederhuber is the 13th
Director of the NCI in its nearly 70 year history. To view a Webcast of the
swearing-in, go to http://videocast.nih.gov.
http://www.cancer.gov
From NIH
Researchers Publish Results of Largest Genome-Wide Linkage Study of Prostate Cancer Among African American Men
On October 11, 2006, researchers from 12 institutions, including the National
Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), announced the results of the first genome-wide linkage study of
prostate cancer in African Americans. The study was conceived, implemented and
executed primarily by African American investigators. Published in the journal,
The Prostate, the findings represent a milestone in years of research designed
to identify genetic risk factors for prostate cancer and to help determine if
heredity plays a role in the disparity in prostate cancer rates seen in African
American men.
http://www.genome.gov
See Full Article
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com
NIH Opens Health Information Center at Jackson Medical Mall
The National Institutes of Health opened a new health information center in
October at the Jackson Medical Mall in Jackson, Mississippi, affirming NIH’s
commitment to providing accurate, up-to-date health information to Mississippi
residents.
http://www.nih.gov
New Family Health History Projects Focus on Alaska Native, Appalachian Communities
As part of the effort to educate all Americans about the importance of
knowing their family health histories, Acting Surgeon General Kenneth P.
Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., announced on November 15, 2006 two new outreach
projects involving Alaska Native and urban Appalachian communities.
http://www.nih.gov
From the Desk of the NIH Director: Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.
When I spoke to the Senate and House appropriations committees earlier this
year, I testified that “In times of constrained budgets, the most important
action NIH needs to take is to preserve the ability of young scientists with
fresh ideas to enter the competitive world of NIH funding,” and I meant that
most passionately. We need to do more and do it quickly in order to preserve the
continuity of discovery the nation has come to rely upon to improve human
health.
http://www.nih.gov
Tools and Resources
HHS Launches Website Promoting Health Literacy Improvement
The HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has recently
launched a "Health Literacy Improvement" website as part of its Health
Communication Activities. On this site, you'll find a variety of sources
including The Quick Guide to Health Literacy, Health Literacy PowerPoint
Presentation - "Health Literacy: What You Need to Know and What You Can Do About
It,” and links to other health literacy resources. All of this information is
also available on a “Tools for Health Literacy” CD. If you would like a copy of
the CD, please contact Neyal Ammary at ammaryn@nei.nih.gov.
http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy
American Indians By the Numbers
From the U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.infoplease.com
2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance(BRFSS) Maps Now Available
The CDC's Behavioral Surveillance Branch from the Division of Adult and
Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, and Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, is pleased to announce
the release of the 2005 BRFSS Maps. BRFSS Maps is a unique interactive Web site
that allows users to quickly and easily generate maps graphically displaying the
prevalence of behavioral health risk factors by state and
metropolitan/micropolitan statistical areas (MMSAs).
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov
Cancer News From the Field
NCI Grantee Spotlights
Disparities in Preventive Procedures: Comparisons of Self-Report and Medicare Claims Data
(BMC Health Serv Res. 2006(6),122, Sept. 29, 2006)
Kevin Fiscella, M.D.,
M.P.H. et al. investigate how racial/ethnic disparities are assessed using
either self-report or claims data. With the exception of PSA testing,
racial/ethnic disparities in preventive procedures are generally larger when
using Medicare claims than when using patients' self-report. Analyses adjusting
for age, gender, income, educational level, health status, proxy response and
supplemental insurance showed that minorities were more likely to self-report
preventive procedures in the absence of claims.
See Full Article
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
See Related Article
Race Gap Persists in Health Screening: Study Challenges Accuracy of Self-Reporting
Study of High-Risk Surgeries Finds Racial Disparity
The racial and ethnic disparities existed even when such factors as patients'
income, insurance status and location were accounted for, according to the study
in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.,
director of the Center on Health Disparities at Atlanta's Morehouse School of
Medicine and a former U.S. surgeon general, deemed the findings important but
not surprising.
http://www.latimes.com
Enhancing Practice: Focus on Cancer Disparities
Racial Disparity in Survival Among Patients with Advanced/Recurrent Endometrial Adenocarcinoma
(Cancer, Vol. 107(9), 2197-2205, Sep. 25, 2006)
Previous studies have
reported shorter survival of black women compared with white women who had
advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer. It has been suggested that this may
reflect racially based differences in treatment.
See Full Article
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com
See Related Article
Despite Equal Cancer Care, a Racial Disparity Persists
Association Between Family History of Prostate and Breast Cancer Among African-American Men with Prostate Cancer
(Urology, Volume 68(5), 1072-76, Nov. 2006)
Authors explore the familial
aggregation of prostate and breast cancer using data from a population-based
case-control study of African-American men participating in the Flint Men’s
Health Study.
See Full Article (See #34)
See Related Article
African-Americans With Prostate Cancer More Likely To Have Family History Of Prostate, Breast Cancer
Care Products May Put Black Women at Higher Risk to Develop Breast Cancer
(Medical Hypotheses, Nov. 28, 2006)
Use of personal care products that
contain estrogen or hormone-like compounds might help explain why young
African-American women are at greater risk of developing breast cancer, local
scientists say.
See Full Article
http://www.medical-hypotheses.com
See Related Article
Care Products May Put Black Women at Higher Risk to Develop Breast Cancer
Enhancing Practice: General Focus on Health Disparities
Disparities in the Utilization of High-Volume Hospitals for Complex Surgery
(JAMA, Vol. 296(16),1973-80, Oct. 25, 2006)
Referral to high-volume
hospitals has been recommended for operations with a demonstrated volume-outcome
relationship. The characteristics of patients who receive care at low-volume
hospitals may be different from those of patients who receive care at
high-volume hospitals. These differences may limit their ability to access or
receive care at a high-volume hospital.
See Full Article
See Related Articles
Study
of High-Risk Surgeries Finds Racial Disparity
Studies
Look for Reasons Behind Racial Disparities in Health Care
Racial
Gaps in U.S. Health Care Seen in Studies
Cultural Competency Commonwealth Fund Reports Now Available
At the fifth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations, held in Seattle in October, The Commonwealth Fund released a series of reports exploring the role of cultural competency in improving quality and outcomes for patients, reducing disparities, and helping patients become more active and engaged in their care.
See Full Reports
The
Role and Relationship of Cultural Competence and Patient-Centeredness in Health
Care Quality
Improving
Quality and Achieving Equity: The Role of Cultural Competence in Reducing Racial
and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care
The
Evidence Base for Cultural and Linguistic Competency in Health Care
Cultural
Competency and Quality of Care: Obtaining the Patient's Perspective
Overview
Eight Americas: Investigating Mortality Disparities Across Races, Counties, and Race-Counties in the United States
(PLOS Medicine, Vol. 3(9), 1513-24, Sep. 2006)
The gap between the highest
and lowest life expectancies for race-county combinations in the United States
is over 35 years. Authors divided the race-county combinations of the US
population into eight distinct groups, referred to as the “eight Americas,” to
explore the causes of the disparities that can inform specific public health
intervention policies and programs.
See Full Article
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
Alliance for Health Reform Issue Brief on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare
Racial disparities are a persistent problem in the U.S. health care system.
This four-page issue brief reviews the types of disparities that minority
populations face, some programs underway to reduce disparities, and proposals
for future action. Also included is a list of expert sources with telephone
numbers, and helpful websites. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To
download, go to
http://www.allhealth.org
Health Coverage for Low-Income Americans: An Evidence-Based Approach to Public Policy
This report offers an evidence-based framework for developing public policy
approaches to covering low-income Americans. The first part of the report is
devoted to the question: What is the role for publicly sponsored health
insurance? The second part turns to seven central issues in structuring a
publicly sponsored health insurance program for the low-income population.
http://www.kff.org
Select Cancer Disparities News Stories
Cancer Care Often Uncoordinated
Experts across the country say choreographing care is one of the most
important challenges in cancer.
http://www.usatoday.com
Expert Notes Rise of Cancer in Pacific
Nearly half a century after Pacific nuclear testing, increasing numbers of
cancer patients are appearing on Pacific islands as U.S. government support for
health care steadily declines, according to a Hawaii cancer expert.
http://starbulletin.com
A Peril that Dwelt Among the Navajos
During the Cold War, uranium mines left contaminated waste scattered around
the Indians. Homes built with the material silently pulsed with radiation.
People developed cancer. And the U.S. did little.
http://www.latimes.com
New Hampshire First to Offer Cancer Vaccine to All Girls
New Hampshire health officials announced plans November 29, 2006 to routinely
give girls a newly approved vaccine to protect them against cervical
cancer.
http://www.boston.com
Select Minority Health and Disparities News Stories
Health Disparities Persist for Men, and Doctors Ask Why
In recent years, women’s health has been a national priority. Yet statistics
show that men are more likely than women to suffer an early death.
http://www.nytimes.com
New Report Finds that Hispanics Face Greater Barriers to Health Care in "New Growth Communities"
The report finds that the uninsured rate for Hispanics in new growth
communities (31 percent) rose to a level to that of Hispanics in major centers
(30 percent) by 2003. It finds that Hispanics in “new growth communities” face
greater barriers to health care than those in cities considered “major Hispanic
centers” (major centers).
http://www.kff.org
New Report Says Connecticut Latinos Facing Health Crisis
Connecticut's Latinos are facing a health crisis, suffering higher rates of
major illnesses such as cancer and diabetes while being less likely to have
health insurance than other ethnic groups, according to a new report by a
Hispanic advocacy group.
http://hosted.ap.org
http://www.chron.com
Funding, Training, and Employment Opportunities
Disparities-Related Opportunities
Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (PA-05-015)
The NIH hereby notifies Principal Investigators holding specific types of NIH research grants (listed in the full announcement) that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by supporting and recruiting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented.
Application Receipt Dates: Applications can be received at any
time.
http://grants.nih.gov
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships (F31) to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (PA-07-106)
The primary objective of this funding opportunity announcement is to help ensure that diverse pools of highly trained scientists will be available in appropriate research areas to carry out the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, health services, or clinical research agenda. This initiative seeks to improve the diversity of the health-related research workforce by supporting the training of predoctoral students from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented.
Application Receipt Dates: April 13, August 13, December 13
http://grants.nih.gov
Resource Centers and Coordinating Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR)(P30)
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications from qualified
institutions for the creation or continuation of Resource Centers for Minority
Aging Research (RCMARs). The RCMAR infrastructure building mission is to improve
the health and well being of older minority populations by identifying
mechanisms for reducing health disparities.
Application Receipt Date(s):
January 8, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov
Genes and Environment Initiative (GEI) – Exposure Biology Program
The Genes and Environment Initiative (GEI) is a four-year, NIH-wide program,
which aims to accelerate understanding of genetic and environmental
contributions to health and disease. The Exposure Biology Program will focus on
the development of innovative technologies to measure environmental exposures,
diet, physical activity, psychosocial stress, and addictive substances that
contribute to the development of disease.
Application Receipt Dates:
December 22, 2006
RFA-ES-06-011
– Environmental Sensors for Personal Exposure Assessment (U01)
RFA-ES-06-012
– Biological Response Indicators of Environmental Stress Centers (U54)
RFA-ES-06-013
– Biological Response Indicators of Environmental Stress (U01)
RFA-CA-07-032
– Improved Measures of Diet and Physical Activity for the Genes and Environment
Initiative (GEI)(U01)
RFA-DA-07-005
– Field-Deployable Tools for Quantifying Exposures to Psychosocial Stress and to
Addictive Substances for Studies of Health and Disease (U01)
Minority Organ and Tissue Donation (R01) (RFA-DK-06-016)
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of
Health, invites investigators to apply for a grant to develop educational
programs to increase the number of organs and tissue donated for transplantation
in racial and ethnic minority communities, and other underserved
populations.
Application Receipt Dates: December 21, 2006
http://grants.nih.gov
Cooperative Reproductive Science Research Centers at Minority Institutions (U54)
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and Office of
Research on Women’s Health invite new and established basic science,
translational, and clinical investigators to submit grant applications that will
participate in a cooperative program to augment and strengthen the research
infrastructure and research capabilities of faculty, students, and fellows at
minority institutions by supporting the development of new, and/or the
enhancement of ongoing research that focuses on topics deemed to be of high
priority and significance because of their critical importance to reproductive
health.
Application Submission Dates: December 20, 2006
http://grants.nih.gov
Training Opportunities
Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD)(R25)
The Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) program provides, at
research institutions, institutional grants for students from groups
underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research with well integrated
developmental activities that will increase their preparation and skills as they
advance academically in the pursuit and successful completion of the Ph.D.
degree.
Application Submission/Receipt Dates: February 21, 2007 and 2008,
and February 23, 2009
http://grants.nih.gov
The Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy
The Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship Program in Minority
Health Policy is designed to create physician-leaders who will pursue careers in
minority health and health policy.
Application Deadline: January 2,
2007
http://www.mfdp.med.harvard.edu
Upcoming Meeting and Events
Health Action 2007 Conference
January 25-27, 2007
Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
Washington, DC
New
at this year’s conference, Families USA is pleased to offer a track that will
focus on minority health issues. Come learn about activities at the national,
state, and local level to address racial and ethnic health disparities; meet
advocates from around the country engaged in this work; and reconnect with
colleagues in the field.
http://ga3.org/familiesusa
11th Biennial CDC & ATSDR Symposium on Statistical Methods: Analyzing & Mapping Health Inequities to Impact Policies for Eliminating Disparities
April 16-18, 2007
Holiday Inn Conference Center
Decatur, GA
The
theme for the 2007 Symposium is “Analyzing and Mapping Health Inequities to
Impact Policies for Eliminating Disparities.” A short course,“ An Introduction
to Geographic Information Systems for Eliminating Health Disparities,” will be
offered on April 16, 2007 in conjunction with the Symposium.
http://www.cdc.gov