Office for Cancer Health Equity (OCHE)

Hispanic/Latino Community Cancer Advisory Board (CAB)

Established in 2018, the Hispanic/Latino Community Cancer Advisory Board (CAB) serves as a bridge between the Penn State Cancer Institute (PSCI) and the Hispanic/Latino community in central Pennsylvania. The CAB advises the PSCI on all cancer issues that affect Hispanics/Latinos, reviews cancer-related research protocols, helps recruit study participants, and conducts outreach for cancer prevention and control.

The CAB has been instrumental in research related to collection of social determinants of health data from cancer patients, skin cancer risk perception and behavior among Hispanic/Latinos, colorectal cancer education and cancer screening among Latino men, overscreening for cancer among older adults, breast cancer prevention and screening among Latina women, and a Spanish-language cancer webinar series which has had domestic and international reach.

The CAB is composed of community leaders and organizations from central Pennsylvania. It is co-chaired by a community member and academic member and meets on a quarterly basis. The CAB always welcomes new community leaders with an interest in cancer prevention and control and will advocate for the Hispanic/Latino community in central Pennsylvania. If you would like more information, please contact OCHE@psu.edu.

Cancer Institute staff member advances health equity in central Pennsylvania.

Cancer Navigation and Survivorship Network (CaNSuN)

The Cancer Navigation and Survivorship Network (CaNSuN) is a hub for cancer patient navigation in Pennsylvania. Our mission is to connect, educate, develop and share best practices among patient navigators in Pennsylvania so that together we can successfully reduce barriers and increase access to cancer prevention, screening, treatment and survivorship services. In brief, we want to “help navigators navigate.” CaNSuN:

• Disseminates navigation-related materials and tools
• Shares best practice strategies for identifying and removing barriers to cancer screening and care
• Fosters networking and communication among navigators
• Promotes professional development opportunities
• Identifies and collaborates on research to improve patient outcomes
• Advocates for f navigation within healthcare systems, the community and the Commonwealth.

To accomplish this, we host monthly virtual meetings with state and national leaders and host an annual in-person summit. We also publish a monthly newsletter In 2021, we conducted a statewide environmental scan to better understand the landscape of navigation services in Pennsylvania and strategies best support navigators through network activities.

CaNSuN is advised by a steering committee of navigators, social workers, and community health workers, with representation from the PA Department of Health, American Cancer Society, and leading health systems and cancer centers.

Get Checked PA!: A training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs)

Established in 2022, Get Checked PA! is an evidence-based, multi-component initiative designed to reduce the cancer burden in Pennsylvania through the work of Community Health Workers (CHWs). Get Checked PA! is a train-the-trainer program to support instructors in CHW training programs and CHWs working in the field. A primary component is an interactive curriculum that equips CHWs with the knowledge and competency to improve cancer screening and early detection strategies in their community. Get Checked PA! provides participants with continuing education credits from the PA CHW Certification Board. One participant reported, “I enjoyed the overall content. The detailed information about certain types of cancer was very well explained and illustrated."

Get Checked PA! is developing a mentored, apprenticeship program with health care and community-based organizations who employ one of our graduates for cancer prevention and control.

LionVu

The OCHE has developed LionVu - a free online mapping resource and data portal.  LionVu can be used by community members, program managers and researchers to understand the impact of cancer and cancer risk on communities throughout Pennsylvania.  LionVu has more than 400 data variables, including social determinants of health, health care access and cancer outcomes.

Precision Cancer Screening Navigation

In 2021, the OCHE initiated ‘precision patient navigation’ as a strategy to support cancer survivorship. Our goal is detection and treatment of cancer at an early stage when treatment is most effective.  ‘Precision patient navigation’ extends traditional screening navigation by using quantitative methods to assess a patient’s social determinants of health and clinical history so as to tailor one-on-one screening navigation.  Our navigators, who hold master’s degrees in social work, utilize evidence-based strategies such as motivational interviewing and shared decision-making.  This tailored approach increases the efficiency and effectiveness of traditional screening navigation. Working closely with Penn State Health, 200 women were offered ‘precision patient navigation’ for breast cancer during 2022-23.

Training Opportunities

The OCHE provides training in community-engaged cancer prevention, control and research to Penn State Cancer Institute (PSCI) members and affiliate members, Penn State students, and to persons enrolled in training programs within the Cancer Research Training and Education Core. Through educational experiences, trainees can become fully engaged in and learn the fundamentals of evidence- and theory-based cancer prevention and control in the real world. These training opportunities may involve working with OCHE faculty and staff on a community advisory board, community assessment, community education program, patient navigation, policy development or research study. The experiences can range from simple observation, co-leading an education program or advocacy initiative, navigating patients, conducting literature reviews, analyzing data or recruiting participants to a research study. The opportunity is most meaningful to the trainee and OCHE if it can occur over an extended period time (e.g., a semester), as opposed to taking place at a single occurrence or point in time.  For most opportunities, the trainee and OCHE staff will collaboratively develop a written description of the objectives and milestones for opportunity. The description will also identify an OCHE mentor for the training.  

For more information, contact OCHE@psu.edu.

Through the OCHE training opportunities, trainees may have the opportunity to work with the following groups or programs:

Cancer Navigation and Survivorship Network

Working with this program, past trainees have analyzed newsletter engagement and conducted an environmental scan on the state of patient navigation in Pennsylvania. Future opportunities for trainees may include researching newsletter content, researching and developing protocols for online community forums, data analysis and observation of monthly meetings.

Cancer Prevention in Pennsylvania Initiative

The Cancer Prevention in Pennsylvania Initiative is a partnership between Penn State Extension and Penn State Cancer Institute, to bring evidence-based cancer prevention initiatives to residents of Pennsylvania, especially those who live in rural communities. Training opportunities with this initiative include researching, developing and delivering presentations and materials on rural cancer disparities.

Community-engaged Research

OCHE leads and assists investigators with community-engaged research to reduce cancer health disparities in central Pennsylvania. These studies primarily focus on Appalachian, Hispanic/Latino and African American populations. Training opportunities related to community-engaged research include analyzing research and surveillance data, recruiting participants to studies and assisting with regulatory approval. Training in human subject protection is expected.

Get Checked PA

Get Checked PA is an evidence-based, train-the-trainer program designed to equip certified community health workers in the knowledge and skills to educate their communities in best practices for cancer prevention and screening. Training opportunities include observation, co-leading a session, developing new curriculum or evaluation.

Hispanic/Latino Cancer Community Advisory Board

The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Community Advisory Board (H/L CAB) is composed of individuals and representatives of community organizations, including social and broadcast media. The H/L CAB meets on a quarterly basis to review study proposals, assist with study recruitment, and catalyze community education. Examples of training opportunities with OCHE include observation of the H/L CAB, co-developing education programs, disseminating of information, and analyzing research and surveillance data.  Fluency in Spanish is preferred, but not required.

Precision Cancer Screening Navigation

Precision Cancer Screening Navigation is an evidence-based telephonic cancer screening navigation program for persons who are overdue for recommended cancer screenings. The Navigation incorporates interviewing skills, including Shared-Decision Making, Motivational Interviewing, and Shulman Interactional Helping skills. Examples of training opportunities with OCHE could include observation, developing new screening protocols, analyzing existing data or, for those who have necessary patient and health system clearances, supervised patient navigation.