The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition, in cooperation with the Ben Hill County Health Department, worked in 2008 to increase cervical cancer screening among uninsured and underinsured women residing in Ben Hill County. This outreach project was based on a research-tested model - a proven approach that increases cervical cancer screening among low-income, uninsured women.
The program's success was largely due to the partnerships we have developed with local community leaders and advocates. Our partners assist with program planning, conduct outreach, and evaluate progress in reaching women who are eligible for the health department's BreasTEST & MORE program. We educated women and recruited them through local community educational events, clinic in-reach (reaching current patients), the media and door-to-door visits. These women then received Pap tests, mammograms and related follow-up services through BreasTEST & MORE, a state and federally-funded program that provides low-cost or no-cost cancer screening for eligible women ages 40 to 64.
Funding for this Cancer Coalition project was provided by the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
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Prostate cancer screening is a controversial issue that may challenge physicians and other healthcare providers. The U.S Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of experts that reviews the effectiveness of screening procedures, concludes that evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against prostate cancer screening. However, the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine and the American Academy of Physicians both recommend shared decision-making between men and their physicians regarding prostate cancer screening.
Faced with such broad and often conflicting recommendations, healthcare providers must determine the most reasonable approach to caring for their patients. The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition is committed to helping local healthcare professionals better understand prostate cancer screening risks and benefits, to promoting joint informed decisions about screening, and to offering tools that can help providers educate their patients.
