In general, Hispanics in Texas receive inadequate cancer education and promotion services and are often unaware of common cancer prevention and recognition methods. Texas Latinos living along the US/Mexico border reside in some of our nation’s poorest counties and are likely to experience limited or denied access to cancer screening, diagnostic testing, and treatment. Cancers are more likely to be diagnosed at late stages with resulting increased mortality and morbidity. Clinicians serving this underserved population are often ill-equipped to meet their patients’ cancer prevention and treatment needs, and to provide them with a stable medical home and culturally competent cancer care. This ...
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In general, Hispanics in Texas receive inadequate cancer education and promotion services and are often unaware of common cancer prevention and recognition methods. Texas Latinos living along the US/Mexico border reside in some of our nation’s poorest counties and are likely to experience limited or denied access to cancer screening, diagnostic testing, and treatment. Cancers are more likely to be diagnosed at late stages with resulting increased mortality and morbidity. Clinicians serving this underserved population are often ill-equipped to meet their patients’ cancer prevention and treatment needs, and to provide them with a stable medical home and culturally competent cancer care. This disproportionate limitation of care is a serious health justice issue and is within our ability to remedy. Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN) proposes to conduct a state-wide program for health center providers and local promotoras to improve rates of screening, entry into treatment and survivorship among underserved Texas Latino communities. Targeting four Texas Health Service Regions (HSR) with large Latino populations, MCN will promote cancer education in six community-based Ventanillas de Salud through promotora training and resource provision; provide clinician education on cancer detection and patient self-management to Texas community health centers; and when appropriate assist with continuity of care through CAN-track, MCN’s innovative patient navigation system developed for use by the mobile poor. This project will improve rates of screening, entry into treatment and survivorship among Texas Latinos by establishing and sustaining partnerships between community and health center agencies whose mission it is to reduce disparities in cancer care and to serve the vulnerable Texas populations. It will make accessible culturally competent cancer detection and treatment resources for use by promotoras, outreach, and clinic staff which can be used in similar settings across Texas. Self-management techniques learned by providers are transferable to other Texas sites. Continuity of care offered by MCN’s award winning patient navigation system will assist to decrease morbidity and mortality related to cancer experiences of mobile populations. As screening becomes widespread, future work must focus on access to secondary services and inclusion of all Texans in care.
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