City-Wide Cancer Disparities Conference

Jun 30, 2023

We heard very moving personal stories from some cancer survivors and ‘pep rally’ encouragement from a former Eagles player.
Everyone gave input into helping us process the Listening Sessions and think about our future research and program priorities to reduce cancer disparities in Philadelphia.

Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH

PC3 Academic Partner, Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

On June 15, 2023 representatives from health systems, cancer centers, stakeholders, and Philadelphia community members discussed concerns about cancer in the region and charted a path forward to reduce disparities in our city.

The group was assembled by the Philadelphia Communities Conquering Cancer (PC3) collaboration, whose mission is to empower Philadelphians to reduce cancer disparities through community engagement, resource alignment, information sharing, research, and prevention. An opportunity funded by PCORI.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is a nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to fund comparative clinical effectiveness research, or CER. The studies funded are designed to produce reliable, useful information that will help patients, family caregivers, clinicians, employers, insurers, policy makers, and others make better informed health and healthcare decisions. The work is guided by a Board of Governors representing the entire healthcare community. The coalition is made up of representatives from Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, and Fox Chase Cancer Center. The funded project is “Building Capacity for Patient Centered Outcomes Research through a City-Wide Cancer Coalition.” Community members, patients, and stakeholders are the cornerstone of the project. The SAC guides all proposed activities and play key roles in planning, implementation, and dissemination. Additional community members and stakeholders host the listening sessions, participate in the consensus conference, and speak during the research advocate training program.

Visit the website to learn more about the programs, leadership, and community partners.

PC3 Website

Integrating Self-Management Education with Cancer Survivorship Care

Nov 21, 2022

• Find the latest publication in this study along with others in the project here.
• Read more about Dr. Schwartz and the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program on the CHOP Research blog.

Citation:

King-Dowling S, Psihogios AM, Hill-Kayser C, Szalda D, O’Hagan B, Darabos K, Daniel LC, Barakat LP, Fleisher L, Maurer LA, Velázquez-Martin B, Jacobs LA, Hobbie W, Ginsberg JP, Vachani CC, Metz JM, Schwartz LA. Acceptability and feasibility of survivorship care plans and accompanying mobile health intervention for adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2021 Mar;68(3):e28884. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28884. PMID: 33416214

The transition between adolescence and adulthood can be a bumpy ride. Add overcoming cancer to that journey and self-care can get swept up among the many developmental landmarks. A study has been underway where researchers aim to reach these young adults through a mobile app, delivering a survivorship plan and management of their post-cancer care.

“Ultimately, this study could inform a more tailored approach to intervention to keep AYA (Adolescent & Young Adult) survivors at risk for poor self-management and disengagement more motivated and engaged,” Dr. Schwartz said. “They survived cancer. We want to protect that investment and have them live long healthy adult lives.” Lisa Schwartz, PhD is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and a psychologist in the Division of Oncology and the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program at CHOP. Integrating Self-Management Education with Cancer Survivorship Care was funded by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) as a Special Interest Project (SIP) in the UPenn Prevention Research Center from 2015-2018. The SIPs receive funding through competitive calls for proposals to address topics of interest or gaps in scientific evidence.

Pediatric Blood & Cancer published the study’s findings in their article “Acceptability and feasibility of survivorship care plans and an accompanying mobile health intervention for adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer.” It was concluded that the mobile intervention was accessible and helpful to users, but it needs more refinement and research.