Abstract A079: Implementation of the FOREST cancer risk study at an HBCU: The family history and cancer risk study at Meharry Medical College

Abstract

PURPOSE: Family Health History (FHH) is a key factor in assessing cancer risk, yet health providers often do not have adequate time or resources to collect FHH systematically. African Americans and other medically underserved populations suffer significantly higher cancer incidence and mortality. These populations would benefit if their cancer risk were better defined. The Family History and Cancer Risk Study (FOREST) aims to implement a patient-facing web-based FHH cancer risk assessment platform called MeTree in a clinic with a high percentage of underserved patients at Meharry Medical College (MMC) and a cohort at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.    METHODS: Partnering with the MMC Community Engagement Core (CEC), we conducted two virtual studios with 12 Nashville minority community members. Topics of concern were medical data privacy, potential benefits, and proper informed consent.  CEC recommendations informed our pre-implementation planning. Recruitment methods consisted of a staffed table outside of and, later, presence inside the MMC Family & Community Med. Clinic waiting room. Patients could also request assistance to navigate MeTree with the study research coordinator (in person or virtually). RESULTS: Since October 2022, 76 potential participants have been invited to FOREST from MMC. 26 patients were interested, 18 were eligible, 16 patients consented, and 12 patients completed the MeTree FHH. Of note, 6 patients utilized in-person assistance from the research study coordinator. Overall, 2 of the 12 patients who completed MeTree were determined to be at high-risk for cancer. CONCLUSION: We observed a 30% enrollment rate and 43% completion rate. Also, 6 of 26 patients requested and received assistance. In-person recruitment had the highest volume of potential enrollments (16 interested), yet lower completion rates (5/16 = 31%) compared to the pamphlet QR code (5 interested with 3/5 completing = 60%). We realize that these numbers are not large enough to show statistical significance at this early stage, and we plan to implement FOREST in a higher volume clinic (Internal Medicine at Nashville General Hospital) to determine if this trend scales.

Citation Format: Clasherrol Edwards, Dana R. Marshall, Leah Alexander, Justin D. Andujar, S.T. Bland, Jillian Duke, Sarah Jones, Jeffrey Leegon, Kate F. Mittendorf, Lori A. Orlando, Georgia L. Wiesner, Siddharth Pratap. Implementation of the FOREST cancer risk study at an HBCU: The family history and cancer risk study at Meharry Medical College [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A079.