DP24-062, UI Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network Collaborating Center

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary Iowa is currently number 2 in the United States for cancer incidence a ranking that is an action call to accelerate adaptation and adoption of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) aimed at preventing cancer, screening for cancer, treating cancer, and supporting cancer survivors. For a state like Iowa, EBIs need to be innovatively adapted, building on what we understand to be effective in a rural context. The University of Iowa Prevention Research Center for Rural Health (UI PRC-RH) will continue its successful participation in the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) as a collaborating center, implementing EBIs to address cancer disparities in rural areas and micropolitan communities. As an active, productive CPCRN participant since 2014, we have drawn on distinctive resources, especially a well-functioning statewide network of partners that includes hospitals, community-based organizations, and the statewide cancer consortium. The success of our center also derives from its team of productive researchers with expertise in cancer prevention and control, specifically HPV vaccination, and extensive experience with rural populations. Over the next five years, our participation in the CPCRN organization and workgroups will strengthen existing CPCRN collaborations and form new ones to support the adoption of evidence-based interventions across the cancer continuum in rural areas. HPV vaccination uptake is one area where we understand which interventions are effective, but they are not always implemented in rural areas. In Iowa we have a disproportionately high incidence of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). At the same time, our rates of HPV vaccine completion in Iowa are lower than the national average. A “strong provider recommendation” is an effective intervention for many health behaviors, and it has been especially valuable for HPV vaccination. One strategy for adapting this EBI to our state is to expand the number of health-related professionals making a strong recommendation. We propose testing whether dental professionals can be effective recommenders of the HPV vaccine. Dental professionals are uniquely positioned to promote the HPV vaccine, as they perform routine oral cancer screenings and preventive dental care at every patient visit. Based on formative research, we developed an intervention—Educate, Recommend, Refer—that includes skills-based, data- and theory- informed trainings and supporting materials. The central hypothesis is that providing dental professionals with the Educate, Recommend, Refer intervention will result in parents receiving HPV vaccine education, recommendations for the vaccine, and referrals to local vaccine providers. The outcomes of our work will accelerate implementation of evidence-based cancer prevention and control strategies in rural and micropolitan communities, thereby helping to decrease health disparities between rural and urban populations. Building on our prior research in rural areas, we will continue to make our distinctive contribution to the growing body of knowledge on disseminating and implementing EBIs to lessen the burden of cancer.