The updated Breast Cancer Disparities Online Toolkit provides a coordinated guide of recommendations to operationalize best practice interventions by mobilizing data resources more effectively to address disparities in breast cancer mortality. Content in the toolkit outlines actionable methods informed by a multi-state learning collaborative across four phases: describing/understanding the burden of the problem, performing data collection, integrating a quality improvement model, and initiating and sustaining the effective implementation of evidence-based interventions. Since health systems across different communities are at different stages of readiness, phases are not in chronological order. Instead, this process is ongoing and often involves revisiting some previously adopted policies/protocols to further increase early detection and screening, reduce the follow-up time between screening and diagnosis, and improve the quality of breast cancer treatment for all regardless of socioeconomic differences. The toolkit also contains elements of health systems change, data-driven transformation and geospatial analysis.
The ASTHO Breast Cancer Online Toolkit is made possible by collaborative partnership and funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division for Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). Visit the online toolkit at astho.org/BreastCancer.aspx.
The toolkit includes:
- A set of phases to operationalize best practice interventions and mobilize data resources to address health disparities in breast cancer mortality and advance health equity in local health departments;
- Recommendations to advance current practice toward addressing breast cancer mortality;
- 15+ case studies that describe how public health agencies advanced systems change, stakeholders that supported the work, and lessons learned to advise others; and,
- 80+ resources from allied organizations and others who support the breast cancer care continuum.