Abstract 31: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Registry Operations in the Caribbean

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Cancer registration is an integral part of national disease surveillance, and actions must be taken to maintain operation of such essential systems, even during concurrent public health emergencies. This abstract summaries the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations of population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) in the Caribbean. Methods: In May 2020, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a worldwide survey to members of the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR) to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PBCRs. In November, the IARC Caribbean Hub renewed this call for responses from IACR members plus additional Caribbean PBCRs. The experience of ten of thirteen registries contacted is presented. Results: Survey responses were received from PBCRs in the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Five (50%) registries reported that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected operations. These same registries reported a reduction in data collection capacity ranging from 28% to 100%. Reasons for data collection disruptions included an inability to fully access physical data sources and a reduced capacity or inability to receive cancer notifications and files. Where data collection was impacted, all registries expected missing cancer cases to be registered later in the next 12-15 months. Remote working was one strategy implemented by unaffected registries. One (10%) registry reported an impact on registry financing, and two (20.0%) reported that staffing was affected. Conclusions: Half of responding Caribbean registries reported having been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding data collection. Improved access to physical data sources for registration activities could mitigate continuing operational challenges in the current pandemic. Accelerating the development of electronic records and direct source abstraction via remote electronic access could support continuous operation of cancer registries amidst future emergencies or operational disruptions. Citation Format: Sarah Quesnel-Crooks, Rachel Hanisch, Isabelle Soerjomataram, Brenda Edwards, Arica White, Betsy Kohler, Ann Chao, Les Mery, Glennis Andall-Brereton. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Registry Operations in the Caribbean [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 31.