Community navigation intervention for social needs in patients with abnormal mammography: a randomized controlled...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Effective breast cancer follow-up care is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality.
• Patients with unmet social needs experience significant barriers to completing essential follow-up care, increasing the risk of late-stage diagnosis.
• A previous study indicated that individuals with social needs are half as likely to complete follow-up appointments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a community navigation intervention on addressing patients' social needs.
• To determine if this intervention improves the completion rate of recommended medical care following an abnormal mammography.
• To explore the influence of social needs on adherence to follow-up care and the role of navigation assistance.

Main Methods:

• A single-center randomized controlled trial enrolling 1,450 participants in the Intermountain West.
• Participants with abnormal mammography results screened for social needs and randomized to active (211 United Way services) or passive (self-directed information) navigation groups.
• Primary outcomes include changes in social needs and follow-up completion, assessed via surveys and chart reviews; qualitative data from interviews and focus groups will also be collected.

Main Results:

• The study is ongoing; primary outcomes are pending.
• The intervention aims to demonstrate a reduction in unmet social needs.
• The study anticipates improved follow-up care completion rates in the active navigation group.

Conclusions:

• This study investigates the effectiveness of a social needs assessment and community navigation services for women with abnormal mammograms.
• The goal is to mitigate social barriers hindering timely follow-up care.
• Ultimately, this research seeks to enhance breast cancer follow-up outcomes for vulnerable populations.