Developing partnerships to reduce disparities in cancer screening

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Translational Science

Background:

• Previous interventions in scientific settings failed to improve cancer screening among women.
• Community-based prevention and control efforts are crucial for addressing screening disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe lessons learned from the Team Up pilot program, a collaborative effort to address cervical and breast cancer screening disparities.
• To evaluate a model for translating evidence-based interventions into community practice.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive qualitative case study was conducted involving 6 states (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee).
• States adopted, adapted, and implemented evidence-based interventions for cancer screening through a 5-step process.

Main Results:

• Participating states achieved varying levels of success in implementing interventions.
• Viable interorganizational public health partnerships were formed and sustained throughout and beyond the pilot program.

Conclusions:

• The Team Up pilot successfully navigated challenges in translating evidence-based approaches and fostering diverse partnerships.
• A mixed-methods approach utilizing local, regional, and national partnerships can facilitate the transfer of research evidence into practice.