Hispanics are the largest minority group in Utah, comprising about 14 percent of the population. However, this community has decreased access to health care, including cancer screening and treatment. Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) provides cancer education to the Hispanic community through a variety of programs and services.

Patient and Public Education
Recognizing the need for cancer education in the Hispanic community, the Patient and Public Education (PPE) Department has participated in health fairs, developed presentations, and created a cancer resource guide in Spanish for many years. They also offer Spanish-language resources in the Cancer Learning Center, a free library open to patients and the public, and answer telephone and e-mail inquiries from Spanish speakers through the Huntsman Cancer Information Service (HCIS). With the help of funding secured in 2007 for a new Hispanic outreach coordinator, these efforts will develop even further. “This person will work closely with various groups within the Hispanic community, to let them know HCI is a resource for them,” says Donna Branson, PPE director.

Also in 2007, the PPE Department received a grant from the state health department’s Utah Cancer Control Program to produce tobacco cessation workbooks in Spanish. HCI staff developed and distributed materials; facilitators in the Hispanic community were then trained. “The workbooks have been useful in helping people quit smoking,” Branson says, “and the material refers to the state-funded Tobacco Quit Line, so it helps people link to other valuable community resources.” 

Huntsman Online Patient Education (HOPE) Guide
Although she’s new in her role as HOPE Guide Coordinator in 2007, Alicia Ferrer has worked at HCI for many years. Previously, she was a health educator with the PPE Department, using her fluency in Spanish to provide information to the Hispanic community as well as English speakers. With the HOPE Guide, which offers free online information about all types of cancer topics, Ferrer’s bilingual skills are again put to use.

In addition to translating existing materials into Spanish, Ferrer will develop new resources catered to the Hispanic community. “Some cancer risk factors are specific to each race and ethnicity,” Ferrer says, “and for many Hispanics, a major risk factor is simply not having access to health care. I will improve resources in Spanish that relate to health care access such as tips for finding affordable care and informing immigrants about how the U.S. health care system works.”

Every month, the HCI website (huntsmancancer.org) provides educational cancer awareness quizzes that test knowledge and offer information about various types of cancer or cancer-related topics. With Ferrer’s translating expertise, these educational quizzes are now available in Spanish.

Clinical Trials
Clinical trials test new cancer treatments for safety and effectiveness in patients. Study coordinators are an essential part of the clinical trials team. Among their many responsibilities, they assist principal investigators (lead researchers on a study) by meeting with patients interested in participating in studies, determining whether patients are eligible for specific trials, and enrolling patients to studies when appropriate. Throughout a clinical trial, the study coordinator helps ensure all study requirements are met,  advising principal investigators every step of the way.

In 2007, the Clinical Trials Office hired a minority populations study coordinator, Tatiana Allen-Blockston, whose focus is the Hispanic community. Allen-Blockston will assist Spanish-speaking patients interested in clinical trials, help enroll patients, and step in as needed to help other study coordinators working with Hispanic patients. In addition, she will work with the PPE Department’s new Hispanic outreach coordinator to build relationships in the Hispanic community and spread the word about cancer education, screening, and treatment resources at HCI.

“Outreach to the Hispanic community is important because it’s the right thing to do,” Branson says. “This is Utah’s largest minority community, and it’s increasing rapidly. There is a real need to provide education about cancer prevention, screening, and treatment.”