Exploring 2-1-1 service requests as potential markers for cancer control needs

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Cancer Control

Background:

• The 2-1-1 service connects individuals with health and human services.
• Identifying callers at increased risk for specific health needs is crucial for efficient service delivery.
• Current methods for risk identification within 2-1-1 systems require optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of 2-1-1 service request data in predicting cancer control needs among callers.
• To explore the potential of utilizing existing 2-1-1 data for proactive cancer prevention and control interventions.

Main Methods:

• A logistic regression model was employed using data from 4101 callers to United Way 2-1-1 Missouri.
• The study examined the association between caller demographics, service request types, and identified cancer control needs.
• Six types of service requests were analyzed for their relationship with cancer control needs and health insurance status.

Main Results:

• Three of the six examined service request types were significantly associated with one or more cancer control needs.
• Two specific service request types also demonstrated a correlation with callers' health insurance status.
• These findings indicate a potential link between the reasons people call 2-1-1 and their cancer-related health requirements.

Conclusions:

• Routinely collected 2-1-1 service request data can be a valuable tool for efficiently identifying callers with specific cancer prevention and control needs.
• The utility of this approach for broader application across national 2-1-1 systems necessitates further research and continuous data surveillance.
• Integrating this data analysis into 2-1-1 operations could enhance targeted public health outreach for cancer control.