Abstract
Background: Mobile cancer screening vans (MCSV) are a promising approach to providing preventive cancer screenings to those in need. In 2021, the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) at Jefferson launched an MCSV to cover its 7-county catchment area. The primary focus of the screening van is to provide breast cancer screenings, although other cancer screenings as well as connections to resources are periodically offered. Community organizations agree to host the MCSV at their site; up to 14 women can be screened for breast cancer at each event. Screening registration information as well as clinical outcomes from the mammogram are captured in the electronic health record (EMR). Here, we describe the impact of the MCSV during its first 8 months of operation. Methods: Data was pulled from the EMR for all women who received breast cancer screening on the MCSV between September 30, 2021 and May 31, 2022. Patient demographic information included age, gender, race and ethnicity, primary language spoken, insurance status, zip code of residence and breast cancer screening history. Clinical outcomes included screening result, need for follow-up and diagnosis of cancer, if relevant. Means and frequencies were calculated for each variable. Bivariate analyses investigated associations between patient demographics and previous screening history or screening exam results. Results: In partnership with community organizations, we have held 47 screening events and screened a total of 377 women in the previous 8 months. Of the 377 women screened, 175 (46%) were African American, 90 (24%) were Caucasian, and 61 (16%) were Hispanic. 279 (74%) of the women had health insurance while 98 (26%) were uninsured. Seventy (19%) women needed additional imaging or follow-up and one woman has been diagnosed with stage 1b invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. The only significant difference among those screened was that those without health insurance were less likely to have a previous mammogram (X2 =4.002, p,.05).Conclusion: The SKCC MCSV is reaching a diverse population, based on race and ethnicity, and a population in need, based on insurance status. While we did not observe racial nor ethnic differences among those screened on the van in relation to screening results or previous screening, those without insurance are more likely to receive their first screening with the MCSV, another important marker that the van is reaching those in need.
Citation Format: Christina L. Yurick, Nicola Cianci, Katie Bradley, Khaldoun Hamade, Christine Bonaccorso, Amy Leader. Providing breast cancer screening in vulnerable communities: The impact of a mobile cancer screening van [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A123.
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