title: Reaching high-risk underserved individuals for cancer genetic counseling by video-teleconferencing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast and colorectal cancers are common cancers for which genetic risk assessment and counseling are available. However, these services are often limited to metropolitan areas and are not readily accessible to underserved populations. Moreover, ethnic and racial disparities present additional obstacles to identifying and screening high-risk individuals and have a bearing on treatment outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide cancer genetic risk assessment and counseling through telemedicine to the remote, underserved primarily Hispanic population of the Texas-Mexico border region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Program participants were mailed a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction with the program so that we could determine the acceptability of video-teleconferencing for cancer risk assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall level of satisfaction with the program was very high, demonstrating the acceptability of a cancer genetic risk assessment program that relied on telemedicine to reach and underserved minority community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delivery model requires the availability of and access to communication technologies; trained staff are needed at remote sites for sample collection and patient handling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Video-teleconferencing is an acceptable method of providing cancer risk assessment in a remote, underserved population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Lindsey A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Mette
authors.affiliation: Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Laredo Regional Campus (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio), Laredo, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Anna Maria Pulido
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Saldívar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Poullard
authors.affiliation: Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Regional Academic Health Center at Harlingen (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio), Harlingen, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Ivette C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis California, USA.|Cancer Therapy and Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Brad H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA. tomlinsong@uthscsa.edu.|Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.|Cancer Therapy and Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gail E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
keywords: disparity; genetic counseling; hereditary cancer; minority; rural population; telemedicine