South Louisiana's mortality rates for all cancers combined are higher than national averages. It is striking that African-American males in the New Orleans area have higher lung cancer incidence and mortality rates than those of other males in the United States. Prostate cancer, the second most common cancer in New Orleans men, occurs at significantly higher rates in African-Americans than Caucasians. African-American females in New Orleans have a slightly higher risk (5%) of developing cancer than Caucasian females, but their mortality rate is significantly higher (31%). Increased mortality rates are associated with diagnosis at a later stage of disease and limited use of screening and diagnostic procedures. It therefore is imperative that health behaviors of New Orleans area African- Americans be examined and improved. The Ochsner Cancer Institute will establish a cancer outreach program at the St. Thomas Health Service, which serves the St. Thomas Housing Development (with a population that is 98% African-American) and surrounding areas. The housing development is classified as a Medically Underserved Area and a Health Manpower Shortage Area. This area is ripe for an outreach cancer program which can be interwoven into the viable St. Thomas Health Service. Goals for this demonstration project include: 1) utilizing a Minority Cancer Team to establish effective education, prevention, and screening programs targeting five specific cancers (lung, breast, cervix, prostate, and colorectal); 2) integrating a cancer control nurse clinician into the St. Thomas Health Service whose mission will include: encouraging specific prevention behaviors in those with a high risk profile, assessing attitudes toward cancer, working with the primary health care providers to examine and overcome barriers to minority recruitment to clinical trials, and facilitating participation in chemoprevention and treatment trials; 3) organic and promote an ongoing cancer control education program; 4) facilitate access of newly diagnosed cancer patients to state-of-the-art treatment options; 5) encourage participation in national cancer treatment and chemoprevention programs. Risk perceptions will be correlated with cancer control behaviors in a quantitative manner and testing will be done to determine whether ease of access enhances cancer prevention and early detection behaviors. The Minority Cancer Team is strongly committed to the establishment of a creative Minority Enhancement Project which will potentially serve as a model for other city neighborhood health clinics.
