The cancer burden in the U.S. is significant. Over two million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. The good news is that cancer prevention and early detection can save lives. Most people don’t experience signs or symptoms of cancer until it’s in advanced stages. But you don’t need to wait for symptoms to check your health with cancer screening tests. With routine screening, you can detect cancer early before signs or symptoms appear because Early Detection = Better Outcomes. Detecting cancer early is critical. It can mean less extensive treatment, more treatment options and a better chance of survival.
Unfortunately, according to the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s 2024 Early Detection Survey, nearly seven in 10 adults in the U.S. reported being behind on at least one routine cancer screening.
Barriers to cancer screening and follow-up—including cost, lack of transportation, inconvenient screening locations or hours, patient fear and mistrust—can interfere with people getting the health care they need. Some of the top reasons people reported being behind on their screenings varied by race/ethnicity. For instance, 34 percent of Hispanic and Latino adults surveyed indicated they were unable to afford the cost of screenings. Ten percent of Black (African American) adults surveyed attributed not having child care as a reason for not being up-to-date on screenings.
Patient navigation is one way to help people access the care they need. Patient navigators are clinical navigators, like nurses or social workers, or non-clinical navigators, such as community health workers or peer navigators, who help people overcome barriers so they can connect with the care they need. Patient navigation addresses barriers, reduces disparities and improves patient outcomes.
A successful cancer screening and prevention program involves lots of stakeholders, and even if you’re not a patient navigator, you can get involved. Physicians, nurses, public health educators, survivors and researchers should all work together to support patients’ needs.
If you’re interested in learning about current data, evidence-based interventions to reduce barriers and disparities, available support programs and examples of how to implement patient navigation in a care setting, register today for the 2024 Prevent Cancer Dialogue.
In the 2024 Prevent Cancer Dialogue on The Role of Patient Navigation in Improving Cancer Screening and Early Detection, experts will share best practices in patient navigation, which can reduce disparities and improve cancer screening efforts to ensure better outcomes across communities.
This 90-minute webinar will feature the following speakers:
- Monica Dean, Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators+
- Paris Thomas, Ph.D., Equal Hope
- Dung Hua, Vital Access Care Foundation
- Michelle S. Williams, Ph.D., MSPH, MPH, MCHES, FAACE, George Mason University
- Courtney Downs, Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition
Time will be available for moderated discussions with the audience. Continuing education credits will be offered, and registration is free. You will also hear about an opportunity for funding to help you in your work. Register today!
To help reduce the burden of cancer and help individuals in your community live longer and healthier lives, learn more about patient navigation on June 12th at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Registration link: https://pcf.elevate.gocadmium.com/
Prevent Cancer Foundation: https://www.preventcancer.org/