Towards a more comprehensive understanding of cancer burden in North Carolina: priorities for intervention.

Objective: To apply 4 measures of population burden in examining cancer burden in North Carolina and to identify priorities for intervention.

Methods: Four measures were used: incidence, mortality, prevalence, and years of potential life lost (YPLL). The North Carolina Central Cancer Registry provided summary data on incidence and mortality and record-level data that were examined using SEER*Stat software to calculate prevalence.

Knowledge, beliefs and barriers associated with prostate cancer prevention and screening behaviors among African-American men.

African-American men have the highest prostate cancer rates worldwide, and innovative efforts are needed to increase cancer prevention and screening behaviors among this population. Formative research was conducted to assess attitudes and behaviors linked to prostate cancer prevention activities that could be used to develop a culturally relevant intervention for an African-American church-based population. Four gender-specific focus groups were conducted with 29 men and women at two African-American churches in central North Carolina.

Breast and colorectal cancer risk communication approaches with low-income African-American and Hispanic women: implications for healthcare providers.

Background: Information on breast and colorectal cancer risk factors is widely available to women and the physicians who provide their healthcare; however, many women are unable to identify the major risk factors, continue to misperceive their personal risk of developing these cancers, and do not engage in routine early detection.

Methods: Qualitative methods were used to investigate breast and colorectal cancer risk knowledge, perceptions, behaviors, and risk communication formats with low-income African-American and Hispanic study participants in Harlem, NY, aged 40-60 years.

Results: Focus group results indicated strong participant interest in strategies necessary to understand and reduce the risk of developing breast and colorectal cancers.