HEALTH DISPARITIES
NCI consistently seeks to develop or expand programs to increase outreach to the uninsured, underrepresented, and disadvantaged populations and increase access to cancer prevention, screening, treatment, follow-up care, palliative care, survivorship plans, and end-of-life care.
For Professionals
The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities
The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) is the keystone of NCI's efforts to reduce the unequal burden of cancer in our society. As the organizational locus for these efforts, the Center directs the implementation of and supports initiatives that advance understanding of health disparities.
The Center maintains a comprehensive Web site at http://crchd.cancer.gov. In addition, the Center publishes a monthly e-mail communication providing timely information on cancer health disparities research, training, and awareness efforts. Subscription information is found on this site.
Reports and Publications
These materials have been identified as some of the most influential in the field of cancer health disparities. Many can be downloaded from the CRCHD Web site.
Making Cancer Health Disparities History
Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care
Facing Cancer in Indian Country
Enhancing Interactions to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities: An NCI-wide Workshop
National Cancer Institute Special Populations Networks: Achievements and Lessons Learned 2000-2005. (2006). CANCER, 107(S8), 1931-2098.
Excessive Cervical Cancer Mortality: A Marker for Low Access to Health Care in Poor Communities
Assessing Cancer Health Disparities
A number of NCI-funded statistical tools and programs can measure and track cancer incidence and mortality. By utilizing these resources, NCCCP pilot sites can gain a greater appreciation of the cancer burden in their communities and population groups.
NCI Cancer Statistics
http://www.cancer.gov/statistics/
SEER Methods for Measuring Disparities
This report reviews different methodological approaches germane to measuring progress toward the goal of eliminating cancer-related health disparities. http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/disparities/
State Cancer Profiles
The State Cancer Profiles site characterizes the cancer burden in a standardized manner in order to motivate action, integrate surveillance into cancer control planning, identify areas and demographic groups, and expose health disparities. http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov/help/about/
Cancer Mortality Maps & Graphs
The interactive maps, graphs, text, tables, and figures featured on this Web site depict geographic patterns and time trends of cancer death rates for more than 40 cancers. http://www3.cancer.gov/atlasplus/index.html
Programs in Cancer Health Disparities Research
Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program (CDRP)
The program supports the planning, development, and conduct of radiation oncology clinical trials in institutions that care for a disproportionate number of medically underserved, low-income, ethnic, and minority populations but have not been traditionally involved in NCI-sponsored research. In addition, CDRP supports the planning, development, and implementation of nurturing partnerships between applicant institutions and committed and experienced institutions actively involved in NCI-sponsored cancer research. http://www3.cancer.gov/rrp/CDRP/index.html
Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities (CPHHD)
This initiative supports transdisciplinary, multi-level, integrated research to elucidate the complex interactions of the social and physical environment, mediating behavioral factors, and biologic pathways that determine health and disease in populations, leading to an understanding and reduction of health disparities. http://www.dccps.cancer.gov/populationhealthcenters/index.html
Community Networks Program (CNP)
The Community Networks Program (CNP) aims to reduce cancer health disparities through community-based participatory education, training, and research among racial/ethnic minorities and underserved populations. http://crchd.cancer.gov/cnp/cnp-project-listing.html
Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (MBCCOP)
The Minority-Based CCOP supports expanding clinical research in minority community settings; brings the advantages of state-of-the-art treatment and research to minority individuals in their own communities; involves primary health care providers and other specialists in cancer prevention and control studies; establishes a base for extending cancer prevention and control and reducing cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality in minority populations; and examines issues in Minority-Based CCOP performance. http://www.cancer.gov/prevention/ccop/
Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership (MI/CCP)
The Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership program increases Minority-Serving Institutions' participation in cancer research and research training; increases the involvement and effectiveness of the Cancer Centers in research, research training and career development; and develops more effective research, education, and outreach programs that will have an impact on minority populations. http://minorityopportunities.nci.nih.gov/institutions/miccp.html
NCI CURE Program
The CURE (Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences) philosophy of research training and career development builds on the success of The Research Supplement for Underrepresented Minorities and strategically addresses each level of the biomedical research and educational pipeline to increase the pool of underrepresented minority candidates. It emphasizes scientific areas of greatest need and expands and extends the period of training and career development. http://minorityopportunities.nci.nih.gov/mTraining/index.html
Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP)
The Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP) aims to develop innovative patient navigation interventions to reduce or eliminate cancer health disparities and test their efficacy and cost-effectiveness. These interventions are designed to decrease the time between a cancer-related abnormal finding, definitive diagnosis, and delivery of quality standard cancer care services. http://crchd.cancer.gov/pnp/pnrp-research-sites.html
Patient Navigation Research Program Resource Manual
The Patient Navigation Research Program Resource Manual clusters patient education materials (treatment-specific and general cancer support materials) across the cancer continuum to facilitate ease of use by navigators when working with patients facing a breast, cervical, prostate, or colorectal cancer diagnosis. The material is used as part of NCI's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Patient Navigation Research Program and is also available to clinicians and health educators for use beyond the scope of this research program. http://www.ncipoet.org/Patientnavigator/
For Patients
Fact Sheets
The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities produces a variety of materials that describe the Center's activities. Visit http://crchd.cancer.gov/news/press-kit.html for a complete listing.
