Listening to Kansans

Abstract

Introduction The Kansas Cancer Partnership (KCP) began their work in the summer of 1999 at the request of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The mission of the partnership was to focus on the reduction of cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality for all Kansans through research, prevention, early detection, treatment, recovery, and palliative care. The Partnership completed their first set of tasks by utilizing available data and identifying gaps in the data to describe the burden of cancer in Kansas. Cancer is a major public health issue with an estimated 13,178 cases (ageadjusted rate: 457.67 per 100,000) for all cancer types in Kansas in 2006. 1 Of the 120,704 new cases of cancer reported in the Kansas Cancer Registry from 1997-2005, there were 20,211 cases of female breast cancer (16.7%). In the winter of 2003-04, KDHE and the Partnership began development of the Kansas Comprehensive Cancer Plan. The first step was a “Listening Tour” in four communities across the state to compile opinions and preferences. The tour was formed to hear what Kansans believed were the most important priorities to impact positive cancer-related changes. To continue the cancer planning conversation with a specific focus on breast cancer, the MidKansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure funded an additional focus group study in 2009 to document experiences and perceptions about breast cancer survivorship and to outline the possibility for developing a survivorship center in Wichita for Kansas breast cancer survivors. The 2009 study utilized a series of focus groups with breast cancer survivors to gather information about patient experiences and preferences for survivorship care. Focus groups and surveys used to assess breast cancer issues and treatment needs previously have included quality of life 2 , barriers to exercise 3 , cancer survivorship 4,5 , coping skills 6-8 , massage therapy 9 , and satisfaction with care 10 .