title: Cancer disparities research partnership in Lakota Country: clinical trials, patient services, and community education for the Oglala, Rosebud, and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes.
abstract: Native Americans served by the Aberdeen, Billings, and Bemidji areas of the Indian Health Service (IHS) have a cancer mortality rate approximately 40% higher than that of the overall US population. The National Cancer Institute has funded Rapid City Regional Hospital to provide clinical trials, behavioral research, a genetic protocol, patient navigator services (assisting patients with health care coordination and financial issues and helping them to understand their options), and community education for members of 3 western South Dakota tribes. Challenges faced by the project included obtaining multiple approvals from 3 tribes, 4 IHS facilities, and 5 institutional review boards; travel distances; lack of screening; red tape of referrals; and refusal by some payers to cover clinical trials. Building trust through ongoing communication and community presence is key to a successful project.
authors.affiliation: Rapid City Regional Hospital, SD 57701, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Petereit
mesh_terms: D035841:Behavioral Research; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019058:Community Networks; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013023:South Dakota / Q000453:epidemiology