title: Increasing Routine Cancer Screening Among Underserved Populations Through Effective Communication Strategies: Application of a Health Literacy Framework.
abstract: Cancer prevention and control efforts serve as national priorities, as cancer is the second leading cause of death in the USA. In addition, cancer disparities exist, with racial/ethnic minority, low-income, and uninsured populations suffering the greatest burden. The goal of this paper is to describe the role that effective health communication can play in increasing routine cancer screening among medically underserved populations, thus decreasing persistent health disparities. For this paper, we applied Sorenson's integrated model of health literacy as a framework for identifying communication gaps and opportunities that can help improve cancer screening specifically at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). This integrated model consists of four interrelated dimensions: access, understand, appraise, and apply. Employing communication strategies across this health literacy framework has the potential to facilitate improved decision making and cancer screening outcomes among the most underserved populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA. abest@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Alicia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vamos
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Seul Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Erika L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daley
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Daniela B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D058015:Health Communication; D057220:Health Literacy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: Cancer disparities; Cancer screening; Federally qualified health centers; Health communication; Health literacy