Advancing health equity through the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program

• Published in: Cancer causes & control Vol. 29; no. 12; pp. 1231 - 1237
• Main Authors: Momin, Behnoosh, Wanliss, Ena, Davis, Lumbe, Townsend, Julie S., Lopez, Kerri, Steele, Brooke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer Science + Business Media 01.12.2018; Springer International Publishing; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer; Cancer Research; Delivery of Health Care; Disease control; Epidemiology; Health disparities; Health Equity; Health promotion; Health risks; Hematology; Humans; Kansas; Mental disorders; Mental health; Michigan; Neoplasms - prevention & control; Oncology; ORIGINAL PAPER; Public Health; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Risk taking; Support services; Tobacco; Kansas; Michigan; United States > US; Comprehensive cancer control; Health equity; Socioeconomic factors
• ISSN: 0957-5243; 1573-7225
• DOI: 10.1007/s10552-018-1111-3

Achieving health equity requires addressing social determinants of health. Promoting health equity as it relates to cancer control is one of six priorities of the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP). This article describes recent activities implemented by three NCCCP awardees (North-west Portland Area Indian Health Board, Kansas, Michigan) and the CDC-funded National Behavior Health Network (NBHN), whose aim is to reduce health disparities among those with mental health and/or substance disorders. North-west Portland administered tribal surveys to help better understand tribal cancer-related risk factors, health behaviors, provide baseline data to support their cancer plan, and obtain resources for targeted interventions. Kansas established a health equity workgroup with a vision of addressing health equity through implementation and uptake of activities among all Kansans. Michigan provided trainings in health equity and social justice and developed health equity learning labs. As a result of the successful implementation of the NBHN’s Community of Practice, individuals currently living with mental illness and/or substance disorders have had increased access to tobacco cessation and other cancer support services. These efforts and key opportunities for public health practitioners and their partners to increase engagement in cancer health equity are summarized in this article.