Abstract
Cancer mortalities in the United States of America have been on the decline for the past two and half decades. The trend has been due to the adoption of measures that reduce the risk factor for the development of cancer such as increased, awareness campaigns, screening, testing and advanced cancer treatment. However, statistics show that the mortality rates for cancer are higher among African Americans compared to whites. Various initiatives have been started to prevent cancers and reduce the disparities that exist. In Maryland, one major program is the collaboration between Cancer SPORE and other community programs such as Prevention and Health Promotion Administration (PHPA) and African American Cancer Initiative.
Keywords: prostate cancer, SPORE
Introduction
African-American men have a higher risk of suffering and dying from prostate cancer compared to men from other ethnic backgrounds (Zenka, 2016). The following paper describes SPORE in prostate cancer, a public health initiative. SPORE is an abbreviation for Specialized Program of Research Excellence; this is a national initiative funded by the National Cancer Institute in various states in the US (MD Anderson, n.d.). In Maryland, the cancer spore is in Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Federal grants fund the program to enhance research on prostate cancer, promote new collaborations that help in the development of effective strategies to detect, prevent and treat prostate cancer. For instance, prostate cancer SPORE in the state of Maryland collaborates with Prevention and Health Promotion Administration to enhance screening of prostate cancer among minority black men. The primary goal of the initiative is to improve the quality of life for all people in the US and reduce the racial prostate cancer disparities.
Overview of the Initiative
Some of the sources of disparities in the incidence and prevalence of prostate cancer include individual disease prevention behaviors, cues to action from health care providers and the intent to participate in the prostate cancer screening (O’Keefe, Meltzer, & Bethea, 2015). Therefore, the program aims to advance research on matters that relate to prostate cancer through various studies. The program involves a career development program that promotes new therapies and hence improves the cues to action by the care providers.
The rationale for the Initiative
Individual disease prevention behavior and acculturation have been presumed to be major sources of disparity that relate to the high incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer among blacks (Lansdorp-Vogelaar et al., 2012). However, there is no scientific basis to back the claims. According to Zenka (2016), the disparities are due to a combination of factors that may range from behavioral to biological. There is a need for intensive research programs and screening campaigns to eliminate the disease (Chornokur, Dalton, Borysova, & Kumar, 2011). Wilkinson, List, Sinner, Dai and Chodak (2003) stated that there is a need to embrace programs that focus on research in order to arm all Americans with the right tools to prevent, detect and treat prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer SPORE is research-based. Hence, it underscores the mandate for a public initiative that collaborates with other community programs to provide solutions for prostate cancer to all Americans and minority groups such as black men.
Sustainability
In 2012, the Senate passed a bipartisan Resolution 493 that recognized prostate cancer as an epidemic that affects African men disproportionately. The resolution requires the federal government to support programs that relate to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer. Therefore, the program has a legal basis that ensures that it gets federal grants. In addition, the key stakeholders include the federal and state governments, the university and a network of collaborators such as the African American Cancer Initiative. Thus, the program is sustainable in terms of the scope, financial and human resource capabilities.
References
Chornokur, G., Dalton, K., Borysova, M. E., & Kumar, N. B. (2011). Disparities at presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and survival in African American men, affected by prostate cancer. The Prostate, 71(9), 985-997.
Lansdorp-Vogelaar, I., Kuntz, K. M., Knudsen, A. B., van Ballegooijen, M., Zauber, A. G., & Jemal, A. (2012). Contribution of screening and survival differences to racial disparities in colorectal cancer rates. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 21(5), 728-736.
MD Anderson. (n.d.). Prostate cancer SPORE. Web.
O’Keefe, E. B., Meltzer, J. P., & Bethea, T. N. (2015). Health disparities and cancer: Racial disparities in cancer mortality in the United States, 2000–2010. Frontiers in Public Health, 3(51), 1-15.
Wilkinson, S., List, M., Sinner, M., Dai, L., & Chodak, G. (2003). Educating African- American men about prostate cancer: Impact on awareness and knowledge. Urology, 61(1), 308-313.
Zenka, D. (2016). Prostate Cancer: African American Cancer Initiative. Web.