A study with Case CCC's Population and Cancer Prevention Co-Leader Stephanie Schmit, PhD, MPH, as Principal Investigator aims to close the healthcare gap that disproportionately affects Hispanic/Latino (H/L) communities in the U.S. by identifying colorectal cancer screening (CRC) screening hotspots, or neighborhoods where CRC screening rates among the H/L individuals living there are lower than the national average CRC screening rate.
Using 2021 CDC Places and American Community Survey data, the team applied geographically weighted regression and Getis-Ord Gi* hot spot procedures to identify CRC screening priority zones for U.S. H/L groups. They identified 6519, 3477, 3522, 1069, and 1424 census tract CRC screening priority zones for H/L communities of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central/South American, Dominican, and Cuban heritage, respectively. Priority zones for H/L groups had strong spatial heterogeneity and overlap of geographic patterns among H/L groups varied by region.
Schmit foresees the findings and interactive web map resulting from the research serving as translational tools for public health authorities, policymakers, clinicians, and other stakeholders to target investment and interventions to increase guideline-concordant CRC screening uptake benefitting specific U.S. H/L communities. Case CCC Population and Cancer Prevention Program members on the team include Michelle Kim, MD, PhD, and Johnie Rose, MD, PhD.