Cancer early-detection services in community health centers for the underserved. A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Achieving cancer early-detection goals remains a challenge, especially among low-income and minority populations.

DESIGN/SETTING

A randomized trial based in 62 community health centers for the underserved in New York, New Jersey, and western Connecticut. Family physicians were on staff at most of the centers.

INTERVENTION

Workshops, materials, and ongoing advice for center leaders promoted implementation of a preventive services office system to identify patients in need of services at each visit through use of medical record flow sheets, other tools, and staff involvement. EVALUATION END POINTS: The proportion of randomly selected patients by center who were up to date for indicated services at baseline (n = 2645) and follow-up (n = 2864) record review.

RESULTS

Only 1 service (breast self-examination advice) increased more in intervention centers. Seven of 8 target services increased significantly for the 62 centers overall. During the study, the medical director changed in 26 centers (42%). Keeping the same medical director at intervention centers was associated with improvements in services.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer early-detection services are improving in community health centers, but the intervention had only a small impact, as determined by record review. To have an impact, the intervention required that there be no change in medical director. The relationship of changes in the practice environment to services delivered is complex and deserves more study.

Health care: lessons from China and Cuba

Health has improved in Cuba and China during the past quarter of a century. Some of the improvements in health occurred as economic conditions improved in both countries, but there are other similarities of health care delivery in China and Cuba. Collective activity plays an important role in health care in both nations; both do health planning centrally, but local communities control the daily activities of the health services that they use. Techniques that have improved health in underdeveloped nations might be applied in underserved areas of the United States.