ACS Map Place Health Profile and Community Resources

ACS Map. Place – Health Profile and Community Resources Mapping Project Carolina Casares, MD MPH Kenneth Portier, Ph. D

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States § Much of the suffering and death from cancer could be prevented by more systematic and innovative health screening and promotion efforts. § However, a disproportionate number of minority and other medically underserved populations are not fully benefiting from available resources. § Underlying causes of cancer disparities are interrelated and complex

Causes of Cancer Disparities Can be linked to the social determinants of health, such as: § Inequalities in access to care, § Language barriers, § Unhealthy environments, and § Racial discrimination Eliminating disparities in cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and mortality is an essential step toward achieving health equity, increasing access and improving health outcomes for patients with cancer.

There are significant challenges and opportunities in developing the appropriate tools to effectively communicate health information and resources as it pertains to reaching minority and underserved populations.

The Challenges § The development of culturally appropriate and effective health policies and programs requires local and national information on race, ethnicity, and the social determinants of health. § These data and cancer-specific data for minority and medically underserved populations in formats and at a geographic resolution useful for program development and planning is generally unavailable at the ACS.

Goals § Support mission related strategic planning and resource allocation at ACS as it relates to cancer disparities through a linked GIS and decision support on-line tool. Objectives § Develop methods of engaging ACS Division mission staff in discussions of cancer disparities, help them fully understand the health profile, health determinants and inequalities in their communities § Create a “national community” within ACS centered on the issues of cancer disparities, specifically in the Latino population. § Explore how the information in Map. Place can and is used in decision making around health disparities issues within the ACS.

What is Map. Place? A web-based mapping and reporting environment that will help support mission related strategic planning and resource allocation at ACS related to cancer disparities. The ACS is piloting a project that combines the use of issues management systems (IMS) and geographical information systems (GIS) in one system. It is expected that through this one system, it will be possible for ACS to focus and manage its collaborations, generate maps and other special visuals that will illustrate specific cancer disparities and associated social determinants of health. This new system will help ACS identify and implement evidence based cancer disparity reducing initiatives more effectively.

For this endeavor we will be collecting data that addresses several questions, such as: § Where are disparate populations? § What is the extent of disparity among the different populations? § What are the nuts and bolts we will need to implement this program? Learning Objectives: § To actively engage participants to explore the tools the Society is currently developing to achieve relevance and trust among diverse populations § Identify areas for further action § Solicit suggestions on how to implement these ideas

African American Breast Cancer Mortality Rates in the US by County

African American Breast Cancer Mortality Rates by Region and County

African American Edgefield County Female Population and Breast Cancer Mortality Rates by County Mortality Rate for Breast Cancer by County - Black Female (2002 -2006) Edgefield County FIPS 45037 County Name Edgefield County Black Female Mortality Rate, Breast Cancer 52. 9 Black Female Mortalities, Breast Cancer 12 Black Female Population

ACS is actively promoting best practices in health promotion, initiating alliances and partnerships for promoting sound policies and synergistic practices related to chronic disease that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for diverse populations and reach all communities This will require collaborations and coordinated actions at local, divisional, and national levels, if progress is to be made. ACS is intently looking at more efficient ways to utilize Society resources at all levels of service by defining the issues, identifying feasible projects and aligning activities.

THANK YOU © 2010 American Cancer Society, Inc. No. 0052. 19