Defining Health Equity & Addressing Racial Disparities

This session aims to level-set, providing an introduction to racial equity and its relationship to health equity, how racism and other barriers contribute to cancer disparities, and share evidence-based principles for practicing health equity. This session will also examine ACS’s work to advance health equity through its various programs.

How Racism Impacts Cancer Outcomes

Cancer is a disease that does not affect everyone equally. Black Americans, and other racial and ethnic groups, face obstacles such as racism and other forms of discrimination. This session will explore the effects that racism has on cancer outcomes – from prevention to diagnosis and survivorship.

Resuming Cancer Screening Amidst COVID-19

COVID-19 has impacted all facets of healthcare, including life-saving cancer screening measures. This session will explore opportunities for safely re-engaging health systems in cancer screening activities through both a national lens and local implementation efforts.

Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Health-Related Social Needs

This session will explore how the Social Determinants of Health – the conditions in the environment in which people are born, live, learn, work, play worship, and age – affect quality of life and health in those with cancer.

Understanding Medical Mistrust & Understanding How SDOH Impact Health Outcomes

Building upon previous sessions, we will explore the historical impact of health care mistrust among Black Americans and how mistrust affects health outcomes in Black men and women facing cancer. This session will go on to discuss the training needs of health care providers to foster a greater understanding of how health is impacted by the Social Determinants of Health, and what providers can do to be advocates and foster improved health care among their patients.

Patient-centered, culturally-appropriate conversations about weight and weight management: women with non-metastatic breast cancer

We will learn from one of our completed Breast Health Equity grant projects the results of a qualitative study among a diverse sampling of women with early breast cancer and high BMI, as well as oncology clinicians. Lessons learned will help to inform clinicians how to have patient-centered and culturally appropriate conversations about weight and weight management.

Measuring Health-Related Social Needs and Incorporating Inclusive/Culturally Appropriate Materials in Intervention Implementation

How can we use data to inform best practices for programs and services? This session will aim to address ways in which we can examine and measure health-related social needs during project planning and implementation, and how these findings can enhance programs or services for underrepresented populations facing cancer.

This session will also feature how to utilize inclusive language and culturally appropriate materials in intervention implementation.

Utilizing a Health Equity Lens for Intervention Implementation and Integrating Equity into Evaluation

Cancer is a disease that does not affect everyone equally. Black Americans, and other racial and ethnic groups, face obstacles such as racism and other forms of discrimination, poverty, food insecurity and lack of access to affordable heathy foods, lower wages, low-quality education, and low-quality housing. These obstacles may affect access to preventative screening, timely care, and potentially life-saving interventions. Health equity in cancer care means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, find, treat, and survive cancer. This session will examine how to effectively carry out interventions along the cancer continuum using a health equity approach, in addition to how to apply a theoretical framework for equity into disparities research.