Abstract PO-041: The impact of COVID-19 on cancer care in the Latinx community in Northern California: A mixed method community-engaged research study
Authors: Espinosa Patricia Rodriguez , Green Darcie , Mulet Yessica Martinez , Trigo Miriam L. , Zamora Zeledon Natalia M. , Meléndez Eric , Rosas Lisa G. 
Published: January 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted cancer care including delayed diagnosis, procedures, and patient fears of COVID-19 infection. However, less is known about the impact on specific populations, including Latinx adults, who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinx adults. Alarmingly, they have low participation rates in cancer prevention programs and face multiple barriers in accessing healthcare, even before the pandemic. Rigorous methods and community-engaged approaches are needed to uncover key barriers and facilitators to cancer care across the socio-ecological spectrum and to translate findings into culturally congruent educational strategies and dissemination efforts. The present mixed methods study entails a bi-directional partnership between the Stanford Medicine Office of Community Engagement and Latinas Contra Cancer, a community-based organization increasing equitable cancer care access for Latinxs. This study aims to determine barriers and facilitators of cancer screening, diagnostics, and treatment in the Latinx community as a result of COVID-19 using a community-based survey (n=500) in Northern California. To gain a deeper understanding of the lived experience of Latinxs obtaining cancer-related care during the pandemic, we will conduct focus groups (n=4) with study participants stratified by barriers and facilitators they endorse across the socio-ecological spectrum, as well as by key demographics (e.g., socioeconomic status, nativity, health literacy). Moreover, medical providers and community clinics will be interviewed (n=15) to understand their unique circumstances during this pandemic (e.g., changing healthcare system logistics, telehealth challenges). Data collection is ongoing and expected to be complete by the end of the summer. We will present descriptive data and statistical analysis (e.g., chi-square tests, logistic regressions) exploring associations key sociocultural and demographic participants characteristics and their endorsement of a variety of barriers and facilitators to care. We will also present key themes from the qualitative data to further contextualize survey findings and gain deeper meaning of the complexities of cancer related care during the pandemic. Study findings will allow us to understand the complexity of barriers and facilitators of cancer prevention and care for Latinxs adults, inform the development of health promotion resources, and guide policy and solutions to reduce excess cancer burden for Latinxs communities.

Citation Format: Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, Darcie Green, Yessica Martinez Mulet, Miriam L. Trigo, Natalia M. Zamora Zeledon, Eric Meléndez, Lisa G. Rosas. The impact of COVID-19 on cancer care in the Latinx community in Northern California: A mixed method community-engaged research study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-041.