BACKGROUND:There is growing evidence that patient navigation improves breast cancer screening rates; however, there are limited efficacy studies of its effect among African American older adult women. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of patient navigation on screening mammography among African American female Medicare beneficiaries in Baltimore, MD. DESIGN: The Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration (CPTD), a multi-site study, was a randomized controlled trial conducted from April 2006 through December 2010. SETTING: Community-based and clinical setting. PARTICIPANTS: The CPTD Screening Trial enrolled 1905 community-dwelling African American female Medicare beneficiaries who were ≥65 years of age and resided in Baltimore, MD. Participants were recruited from health clinics, community centers, health fairs, mailings using Medicare rosters, and phone calls. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to either: printed educational materials on cancer screening (control group) or printed educational materials + patient navigation services designed to help participants overcome barriers to cancer screening (intervention group). MAIN MEASURE: Self-reported receipt of mammography screening within 2 years of the end of the study. KEY RESULTS: The median follow-up period for participants in this analysis was 17.8 months. In weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses, women in the intervention group had significantly higher odds of being up to date on mammography screening at the end of the follow-up period compared to women in the control group (odds ratio [OR] 2.26, 95 % confidence interval [CI]1.59-3.22). The effect of the intervention was stronger among women who were not up to date with mammography screening at enrollment (OR 3.63, 95 % CI 2.09-6.38). CONCLUSION: Patient navigation among urban African American Medicare beneficiaries increased self-reported mammography utilization. The results suggest that patient navigation for mammography screening should focus on women who are not up to date on their screening.

Purpose In recent years, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates have increased steadily in the USA, though racial and ethnic disparities persist. In a community-based randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effect of patient navigation on increasing CRC screening adherence among older African Americans. Methods Participants in the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration were randomized to either the control group, receiving only printed educational materials (PEM), or the intervention arm where they were assigned a patient navigator in addition to PEM. Navigators assisted participants with identifying and overcoming screening barriers. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the effect of patient navigation on CRC screening adherence. Up-to-date with screening was defined as self-reported receipt of colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy in the previous 10 years or fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) in the year prior to the exit interview. Results Compared with controls, the intervention group was more likely to report being up-to-date with CRC screening at the exit interview (OR 1.55, 95 % CI 1.07–2.23), after adjusting for select demographics. When examining the screening modalities separately, the patient navigator increased screening for colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy (OR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.07–2.19), but not FOBT screening. Analyses of moderation revealed stronger effects of navigation among participants 65–69 years and those with an adequate health literacy level. Conclusions In a population of older African Americans adults, patient navigation was effective in increasing the likelihood of CRC screening. However, more intensive navigation may be necessary for adults over 70 years and individuals with low literacy levels.

Objective To evaluate the adoption of HPV testing and recommended extended cervical cancer screening intervals in clinical practice, we described yearly uptake of Pap/HPV cotesting and estimated length of time between normal screens by patient characteristics. Methods We examined 55,575 Pap/HPV records from 27,035 women aged 30–65 years from the Johns Hopkins Hospital Pathology Data System between 2006–2013. Cotest uptake and median times to next screening test for cotests and cytology only were calculated. Adjusted hazard ratios were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models, with random effects adjustment for clustering within clinic. Results Cotest usage increased from <10% in 2006 to 78% in 2013. The median time to next screening test following normal cytology alone remained constant around 1.5 years. Screening intervals following a dual-negative cotest increased from 1.5 years in 2006/2007 to 2.5 years in 2010, coincident with increases in the proportion of women cotested. Intervals following a dual negative cotest were longer among Medicare patients (3 years) compared with privately insured women (2.5 years), and shorter among black (2 years) compared with white women (2.8 years). Conclusion By mid-2013 we observed broad adoption of Pap/HPV cotesting in routine screening in a large academic medical center. Increased screening intervals were observed only among cotested women, while those screened by cytology alone continued to be screened almost annually. The influence of different combinations of race and insurance on screening intervals should be further evaluated to ensure balance of screening risks and benefits in the U.S. population.

Purpose We examined the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) cancer screening among older African American men. Methods We analyzed baseline data from a sample of 485 community-dwelling African American men who participated in the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration Trial. The outcome was receipt of PSA screening within the past year. SES was measured using income and educational attainment. Sequential multivariate logistic regression models were performed to study whether health care access, patient–provider relationship, and cancer fatalism mediated the relationship between SES and PSA screening. Results Higher educational attainment was significantly associated with higher odds of PSA screening in the past year (odds ratio (OR) 2.08 for college graduate compared to less than high school graduate, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.03–4.24); income was not. Health care access and patient–provider communication did not alter the relationship between education and screening; however, beliefs regarding cancer fatalism partially mediated the observed relationship. Conclusion Rates of prostate cancer screening among African American men vary by level of educational attainment; beliefs concerning cancer fatalism help explain this gradient. Understanding the determinants of cancer fatalism is a critical next step in building interventions that seek to ensure equitable access to prostate cancer screening.

Background Despite the recommendation for routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in males, coverage estimates remain low. We sought to identify predictors of receiving each HPV vaccine dose among a large clinical population of males. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of electronic medical records for 14,688 males aged 11–26 years attending 26 outpatient clinics (January 2012 –April 2013) in Maryland to identify predictors of each HPV vaccine dose using multivariate logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations. All analyses were stratified in accordance with vaccine age recommendations: 11–12 years, 13–21 years, and 22–26 years. Analyses of predictors of receipt of subsequent HPV doses were also stratified by number of clinic visits (≤3, >3). Results Approximately 15% of males initiated the HPV vaccine. Less than half of males eligible received the second and third dose, 49% and 47%, respectively. Non-Hispanic black males (vs. non-Hispanic white) aged 11–12 and 13–21 years and males with public insurance (vs. private) aged 13–21 years, had significantly greater odds of vaccine initiation, but significantly decreased odds of receiving subsequent doses, respectively. Attendance to >3 clinic visits attenuated the inverse association between public insurance and receipt of subsequent doses. Conclusion Overall, rates of HPV vaccine initiation and of subsequent doses were low. While non-Hispanic black and publically insured males were more likely to initiate the HPV vaccine, they were less likely to receive subsequent doses. Impact Tailoring different intervention strategies for increasing HPV vaccine initiation versus increasing rates of subsequent doses among males may be warranted.