Capturing Latino Health Disparities: Lessons from Mail- and Community-Based Population Health Surveys in California

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cancer Research
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Latinos experience significant cancer health disparities and are underrepresented in research.
• Effective outreach and engagement strategies are crucial for addressing regional Latino health needs.
• The University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCDCCC) conducted its first Catchment Area Population Assessment (CAPA) to inform these strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify optimal methods for collecting Latino health needs data.
• To assess breast and cervical cancer screening rates and risk factors within the Latino population.
• To compare the effectiveness of mail-based versus community-based survey approaches.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study compared mail-based (random sampling) and community-based (in-person interviews) survey methodologies.
• Data were collected from 361 Latino participants across 16 UCDCCC catchment counties (July 2019-March 2020).
• Comparisons focused on catchment population representativeness and cancer screening outcomes.

Main Results:

• Mail-based participants were older, more educated, and had higher incomes than community-based participants.
• Despite demographic differences, breast and cervical cancer screening rates did not significantly differ between the two groups.
• Time since last checkup was a key predictor of screening adherence, particularly in the community-based group.

Conclusions:

• Combining mail- and community-based survey methods enhances the representativeness of Latino health data.
• Each method has distinct sampling biases, but together they offer a more balanced view.
• These combined approaches support equitable research recruitment and cancer prevention strategies for underserved populations.