Abstract PO-060: Promoting colorectal cancer screening: A training for healthcare professionals

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the creation of a colorectal cancer screening training intended for healthcare professionals. Cancers of the colon and rectum remain the third most frequently diagnosed cancer in Hawai’i, and simple changes to healthcare practices can increase colorectal cancer screening by engaging and motivating patients to be screened. To improve colorectal cancer screening rates in Hawai’i, healthcare professionals need the tools to better interact with patients from different cultures such as Pacific Islanders. A promoting colorectal cancer screening training was created through different resources for the purpose of improving patient and healthcare professionals’ interactions. This training will provide healthcare professionals culturally based content for improving colorectal cancer screening and techniques for interacting with Pacific Island patients. This training will be pilot- tested with University of Hawaii Cancer Center faculty and staff; five local health clinics and practices will be offered this training through a web-based training format. The training also provides healthcare professionals with three continuing medical education credits. Initial delivery of the training was intended for in-person format; however, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing regulations, a virtual format had to be adopted. Healthcare providers will be provided pre-training resources, a pre and posttest, as well as a six-month follow-up survey to assess attainment of the training objectives. Objectives for the trainings include: four essential strategies to improve colorectal cancer screening (make a recommendation, develop a screening policy, measure practice progress, and be persistent with reminders), to promote understanding of other communities’ reluctance of cancer screening, and to bridge the gap between Pacific Islander and Western understanding of traditional and Western healing. Citation Format: Mark L. Willingham, Jr., Kevin Cassel. Promoting colorectal cancer screening: A training for healthcare professionals [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-060.