Cancer PRevention Through Enhanced EnvironMenT

Disparities in cancer prevention and outcomes by poverty status are well documented. Such disparities are rooted in structural and intermediate social determinants of health (SDOH), including neighborhood built and social environment (together referred to as living environment). Features of the living environment have major implications for cancer risk through behaviors such as physical activity and access to preventive care. Adverse neighborhood conditions also exacerbate the stress response, in the form of high allostatic load, which is a risk factor for many cancers. Reducing cancer disparities in persistent poverty (PP) areas requires a multisectoral approach in which citizens, organizations, businesses, and local governments unite to improve neighborhood conditions. However, despite compelling evidence that the living environment impacts health-related behaviors and outcomes, including cancer, there are virtually no interventions that determine to what extent modifications of the neighborhood built and social environments reduce cancer risk. Based on the Alcarez framework, the proposed study aims to fill this knowledge gap. The purpose of the study is to understand if interventions aimed at improving neighborhood built and social environment can reduce community-level cancer risk in 5 targeted PP neighborhoods (census tracts). Study specific aims are as follows:

Aim 1. Implement Cancer PREEMpT and assess whether the enhancement of living environment leads to increased public safety, use of parks and community spaces, community events, and prevention services.

After a community-engaged needs assessment, built and social environment improvements will be implemented in collaboration with our study partner, Live HealthSmart Alabama (LHSA). Public usage data will be gathered regarding public safety, use of parks and community spaces, and community events. The LHSA wellness van will visit PREEMpT targeted communities on a monthly basis for preventive assessments and referrals to primary care and cancer screening (cervical, breast, and colon). The public usage data will be gathered through non-human subjects (numeric counts, public crime data, and civil data). The prevention data will be gathered by the LHSA wellness van staff through de-identified counts of uptake of services by community members.

Aim 2. Determine the effect of improved living environment on community-level perceptions and behaviors related to cancer risk.

Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, surveys will be collected and focus groups will be conducted to assess community-level changes in perceptions and behaviors in the targeted areas. For the quantitative (survey) component, a two-group survey design will be used with independent, mutually exclusive samples pre- and post-intervention, and for the qualitative (focus group) component, focus groups with residents pre- and post-intervention will be conducted.