Abstract PO-037: Challenges and solutions in outreach activities encountered in dealing with Micronesians amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wakuk Srue H. 
Published: December 2020

Background: The University of Hawaii Cancer (UHCC) is known as the only national cancer institute designated cancer center in the Pacific that supports a multitude of cancer research projects. All these projects shared a common goal in reducing and eliminating cancer health disparities among multicultural groups in Hawaii and the Pacific. One of the research projects under UHCC is P30 Study. The two studies under P30 are Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Project. Women were sent to Queens Women’s Health Clinic for mammogram screening while HPV Study recruits’ parents who have children within the age range mandated to get the HPV vaccine. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, our team outreached at churches and community events. Facebook and phone call are sources being used to collecting data, recruiting, and raising awareness during the pandemic. The health and safety measures enforced during this pandemic is hindering the normal flow of our outreach activities. Metrics • Recruit participants through social media. • Increase the number of HPV vaccines among children and adults. • Collect a good number of surveys through social media. • Create strong collaboration with community partners and stakeholders through social media • Form strong collaboration through social media. Solutions: • Reach out to the community and clinical partners through phone and face-book. • Using face-book to outreach, recruit, and collect data. • Partner up with radio stations to raise awareness and recruit participants. • Collaborate with Hawaii State Food Bank to raise awareness during food distribution. • Schedule mammogram screening for TMIST over the phone. Outcomes: Around March 2020, the Covid-19 outbreak was confirmed as a pandemic in Hawaii. It despaired our hopes in moving forward. Before that, we outreached in groups and recruited 25 participants for TMIST Project and enrolled 6 participants. During the midst of this pandemic, 10 participants were recruited and 3 were screened. Surveys are being collected on the side for both projects. Fortunately, we have met the required number of surveys needed for each quarter. All the outreach activities during this pandemic take place over the phone and on face-book. The HPV Project started amid the pandemic. We reached out and recruited 31 parents. Up to date, 3 children completed their HPV shots. We are currently continuing our data collecting and recruitment over the phone and on face- book. We are in the process of collaborating with community partners to help with our outreach activities and increase the number of accruals. Lesson learned and future directions Creating partnerships is crucial with community projects. The strong collaboration will lead to project success. Showing compassion for the community will lead to good outcomes. We will continue our outreach activities to increase the number of accruals to cancer prevention for the undeserved population.

Citation Format: Srue H. Wakuk. Challenges and solutions in outreach activities encountered in dealing with Micronesians amid the COVID-19 pandemic [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-037.