Indigenizing and Ruralizing NCI Screen to Save Program: Resources, Optimizing Outreach, Teaching, Science (ROOTS)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Cancer Prevention

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) disproportionately affects Indigenous and rural populations, leading to higher mortality rates.
• Existing cancer screening programs often lack cultural relevance for these communities.
• Addressing health disparities requires culturally tailored interventions to improve cancer outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To culturally adapt and implement the NCI Screen to Save (S2S) program for Indigenous and rural communities in Northeastern USA.
• To assess the program's impact on awareness of CRC risk factors and screening intentions.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored approach in reducing cancer health disparities.

Main Methods:

• An NCI Screen to Save (S2S) program was indigenized/ruralized through collaboration with a community advisory board.
• Outreach teams delivered the tailored program to Indigenous and rural/suburban communities.
• Pre/post surveys (n=79) were administered to participants (n=82) with an average age of 49 years.

Main Results:

• Participants correctly identified smoking, tobacco use, and lack of physical activity as CRC risk factors.
• Post-intervention, participants reported increased likelihood of physical activity and CRC screening.
• Participants indicated greater intent to encourage family and friends to undergo CRC screening.

Conclusions:

• Culturally tailored CRC messaging significantly increases screening intentions and knowledge in Indigenous and rural populations.
• This approach is effective in decreasing cancer health disparities among underserved communities.
• Future research should focus on diet, patient navigation, genetic screening, and quality improvement for translational science.