The overall objective of this proposal is to improve cancer morbidity and mortality in older, low income, minority adults from Cuyahoga County, Ohio by implementation of a series of educational interventions amongst health care professionals, religious leaders and community members to improve the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding utilization and participation in cancer prevention, screening, early detection and treatment programs. This goal will be accomplished by implementation of the following specific aims: 1. A community derived, peer educator based cancer prevention program, already shown to be successful for improving utilization of screening mammography in older, low income, minority women, will be further developed and extended to improve utilization of screening programs for breast, prostate and colorectal cancer and to foster more widespread use of cancer prevention practices in the target community. 2. Formal education conferences will be developed and implemented to inform minority physicians, health care professionals and influential community members such as religious leaders as to the need for appropriate practices of cancer screening and benefits of early detection programs for older, minority adults. 3. A Cancer-Outreach Education Nurse Specialist Program will be developed to provide on-site, office based, education for physicians and other health care professionals to encourage improvement and incorporation of cancer screening and detection procedures at private and community facilities providing health care to older, minority adults. 4. A Minority Community Based Advisory Board will be formally constituted to focus on reduction of cancer morbidity and mortality in the older, low income, minority community and to evaluate and advise on further development and utilization of the programs outlined in the first three specific aims above.
