Background: The Cancer and Chronic Disease Consortium (CCDC) of El Paso implemented a 5 year program “Unidas por Vida y Salud: Increasing Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in El Paso.” This initiative was funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to create a continuum of cancer care that spans primary prevention (education and outreach), secondary prevention (screening services and diagnostic services), and tertiary prevention (treatment services) for uninsured, underserved, and low-income women in El Paso. To facilitate timely access to treatment care, the program will fill gaps in screening and diagnostic services for uninsured women ineligible through the BCCS program (e.g. women ages 40 through 49,) and patient navigation for women with abnormal results, and case management services for women diagnosed with breast and/or cervical cancer. The program was built on our existing promotora program and provided training to promotoras, clinic navigators, case managers and data collectors. We will use our local database to identify individuals who are overdue for screening and provide reminders and outreach to them. To provide direct screening services we will use our existing provider network and partner with local community organizations in the El Paso region to deliver cancer education, navigation and case management services. The UT-Houston School of Public Health will evaluate the effectiveness of this program in increasing breast and cervical cancer screening and rescreening. This program will leverage BCCS funds, build on the successes of CCDC, and benefit from the outreach infrastructure developed by CCDC and the UTSPH and MD Anderson through the Community Network Program to fill gaps in the current accessibility of screening.
Outcome: After five years of program implementation 7,095 women completed eligibility and were enrolled in the program. 6,833 received multiple services such as: promotora delivered-cancer prevention education, resource lists, and referral vouchers for screening, patient navigation and case management services. A total of 1,248 CBE’s, 990 mammograms, 976 Pap test, 398 dx. Mammograms, 265 ultrasounds, 37 breast biopsies, 14 colposcopies, 14 colpo & biopsies, 9 dysplasia treatments and 72 follow-up physician consultations with specialists were provided. Thanks to this initiative six patients were diagnosed with cancer and received timely access to care.
