Peterborough Public Health Nurses Showcase Local Cancer Prevention Research at Prestigious International Conference in France
Written by admin, June 8, 2016
June 8, 2016 – International Agency Research for Cancer to Feature Study on Benefits of Customized Care for the Community
Today Public Health Nurses Mary Pat Cannon and Catherine Therrien from Peterborough Public Health (PPH) presented their study on improving cancer screening rates for local women at the prestigious International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyons, France. This study was selected for presentation out of 650 applications from around the world.
“It’s an honour to share this Peterborough success story with a global audience because we know regular cancer screening is key to detecting it early when prognosis is better, and this can reduce deaths,” said Donna Churipuy, Manager of Healthy Living Programs. “This study examined the impact of past years’ triple integrated screening days and demonstrates the role that partnerships can play in improving cancer screening rates among local women, especially for women who tend to shy away from it or have difficulty finding the time to do it.”
Entitled Innovative Integrated Cancer Screening Day: A Wellness For Women…By Women, the research project identifies the barriers to reach under or never-screened women in the City and County of Peterborough. The project examined the unique approach of holding a one-day event for this target population that integrates pap tests, mammograms and fecal-occult blood tests (FOBT) for cervical, breast, and colon cancer screening.
“We carried out surveys to recognize the particular barriers so we can meet their needs,” said Anna Jamieson, Nurse Practitioner at the Peterborough Clinic who helped organize the events. “Our findings showed us what we already knew: women didn’t have the time to get screened or it wasn’t a priority for them. But in most cases, women worried about the stigma of what the results may reveal.”
The collaborative research project arose out of the successful event Triple Integrated Cancer Screening Days in 2012, 2014 and 2015 organized by Peterborough Public Health, Peterborough Health Centre (PRHC) and the Peterborough Clinic. The number of women attending the event tripled to 145 participants in 2015 since the pilot event in 2012. Also in 2015, more women returned for follow-up screenings with fewer no-shows than in previous years. The organizers are hopeful to reach more women who have never-screened for cancer when they hold the event again in 2016.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is part of the World Health Organization. IARC coordinates and conducts both epidemiological and laboratory research into the causes of human cancer.
For more information about cancer screening, please visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca and click on “My Life & Health” and then Cancer Screening/Prevention.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391