Trial Information

Integrating Cancer Control Referrals and Navigators Into United Way 211 Missouri

For Americans living in poverty, cancer prevention and screening is a lower priority than
meeting basic needs. When basic needs are addressed, the likelihood of engaging in these
preventive behaviors increases. Strategies to eliminate cancer disparities in disadvantaged
populations must recognize and address this fundamental challenge. We propose the first-ever
cancer communication research partnership with United Way 2-1-1, a telephone information and
referral system reaching millions of low-income and minority Americans every year and
connecting them to locally available resources that can meet their basic needs. By
proactively linking these callers to evidence-based cancer control services available for
free in their community, cancer disparities could be reduced.

The proposed study will:

1. estimate the prevalence of need for cancer screening and prevention in a population of
211 callers;

2. determine whether cancer communication interventions delivered through 211 can increase
use of breast, cervical and colon cancer screening, HPV vaccination, smoking cessation
and adoption of smoke free home policies;

3. determine how intensive an intervention is needed to bring about these changes; and

4. determine whether the effectiveness of these interventions is enhanced when callers'
basic needs have been addressed. Connecting these systems - 211, clinical and community
cancer control programs and navigation services - should benefit disadvantaged
Americans. The proposed study will evaluate the effects of this approach to eliminating
cancer disparities.

Objectives:

Study group assignment -- By random assignment they will then receive either:

- Tailored Cancer Communication to help them act on the cancer control referral they
received;

- A Cancer Control Navigator to help them overcome obstacles to obtaining needed cancer
control services;

- Cancer Control Phone Referral Only; or,

- No intervention control

The study aims are to:

1. Estimate the prevalence of need for cancer screening and prevention in a population of
211 callers and compare these rates to population data from Missouri and the U.S.

2. Evaluate effects of Tailored Cancer Communication (T), Cancer Control Navigation (N),
Cancer Control Phone Referral Only (P) on use of cancer control services in a
randomized trial among 211 callers.