Abstract LB-174: Patient navigation in Appalachia: results from a survey of current practices

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: The Appalachian region of the US includes 420 counties in 13 states that begin with New York, follow the Appalachian Mountains and extend to Mississippi. The region has a heterogeneous population that shares distinct cultural characteristics, high rates of unemployment, low income, and high rates of chronic disease, including cancer. Patient navigators (PN) provide one-on-one guidance and assistance through the health care continuum from prevention to end-of-life and address barriers and enhance access to healthcare through the use of individual navigators who are sensitive to the needs, interests and values of the community. Although there are numerous PN training programs available, there are no known programs that are designed for the Appalachian population. As a first step in developing such a program, we designed and conducted a survey of PN training needs in Appalachia. Methods: With guidance from formative research involving a variety of stakeholders, we identified key individuals, professional groups, health care systems, and public health agencies serving the Appalachian region. We developed a 26-item survey to collect information on current patient navigation programs, sources of current training, and training needs. After pretesting, the survey was distributed online. Data were collected from June, 2015 through May, 2016. Results: A total of 152 responses were received. The responses were from community based organizations (29.3%), academic medical centers (15.5%), hospitals (35.8%), and community cancer centers (19.5%). PN was currently provided by individuals from a variety of professional backgrounds, chiefly nursing (32.8%) and social work (8.4%), and 15.3% were community navigators. Only 63.8% of respondents reported having received formal PN training. About half (47.3%) indicated that they were interested in attending PN training and suggested specific content and format. Conclusions: Survey respondents identified a need for PN training that focuses on Appalachia. These results supported the development of an Appalachia Patient Navigation Training Program, currently underway. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Mark B. Dignan, Sharon Dwyer, Carol White, Elizabeth A. Rohan, Dana White, Georgina Castro, Reda Wilson, Mary Boyd, Eric Stockton. Patient navigation in Appalachia: results from a survey of current practices [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-174. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-174