Abstract 3472: Tailored cancer outreach efforts of a community outreach core working with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi
Authors: Willingham Jr. Mark Lee , Cassel Kevin D. , Sy Angela , Taafaki Munirih , Diaz Tressa P. , Kleiner Antoinette , Mummert Angelina 
Published: March 2024

Background The Community Outreach Core (COC) of the Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity (PIPCHE) aims to improve health equity for historically underserved populations including Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs), and Filipinos. PIPCHE is a partnership between the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center and the University of Guam whose efforts are focused in Hawaiʻi, Guam and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The COC directly addresses the disproportionately high rates of health disparities and cancer incidence and mortality found within NHOPIs often due to multiple complex historical, social, cultural, and environmental factors. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Hawai’i between 2014-2018, as well as the second most common cause of death in nearly all USAPI jurisdictions. The COC uses research-tested, community-engaged approaches to modify determinants of cancer in these groups.

Methods Outreach efforts have addressed NHOPI cancer inequities by raising awareness of high cancer burdens experienced by these underserved communities. Efforts include resource sharing and data collection at various venues in Hawaiʻi such as health/wellness fairs, public housing, and Pacific Islander churches. Outreach Advisory Council meetings were held biannually with community health leaders to discuss ongoing and future initiatives/resource sharing. The COC provided health providers and students with cultural competency training on more efficient strategies to work with these unique NHOPI groups. The COC provided presentations and short talks across the U.S, including a Health Providers Symposium on lung cancer across the Pacific. Outreach efforts have included tailored NCI-based Screen to Save (S2S) colorectal cancer education to NHOPIs.

Results Forty-seven major outreach events were conducted from 2021 to November 2023. These include: 1 Health Providers’ Cancer Symposium, 5 Outreach Advisory Council meetings, 5 Cultural Competency trainings and class lectures, 11 conference/community and short talk presentations, and 25 community outreach events. There were 1,900 attendees reached during these regional and national outreach activities. The COC works with professional audiences at the national level to inform these groups about cancer and the health burdens of NHOPIs. A total of 97 Pacific Islanders received the S2S education and completed a pre-posttest with positive increases in means found for all 14 questions.

Conclusion The PIPCHE COC has been able to reach NHOPIs though community partnerships to deliver culturally tailored cancer prevention education and efforts within Hawaiʻi, as well as shed light nationally of the cancer burdens these populations face. The S2S education has been able to raise awareness of cancer screenings and holds promise as a potential strategy to address cancer burdens of NHOPI communities.

Citation Format: Mark Lee Willingham Jr., Kevin D. Cassel, Angela Sy, Munirih Taafaki, Tressa P. Diaz, Antoinette Kleiner, Angelina Mummert. Tailored cancer outreach efforts of a community outreach core working with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3472.