Author: Whitney Zahnd

Some key components of comprehensive cancer control plans include the development of goals, objectives and strategies to address the cancer burden within the state, tribal organization or territory. These goals, objectives and strategies can help spur collaboration between partners. During a webinar from the Geographic Health Equity Alliance in partnership with the Advancing Cancer and Rural Equity (ACRE) lab, three presenters discussed different ways in which evidence-based strategies have been implemented to improve cancer screening in rural areas.

Collaboration is imperative for comprehensive cancer control programs and the development and update of state comprehensive cancer control plans. This webinar included a panel of cancer coalitions and comprehensive cancer control program evaluators who shared how they engaged rural partners throughout their respective states through coalition workgroups, surveys, focus groups, and other efforts.  

Collaboration is imperative for comprehensive cancer control programs and the development and update of state comprehensive cancer control plans. This webinar included a panel of cancer coalitions and comprehensive cancer control program evaluators who shared how they engaged rural partners throughout their respective states through coalition workgroups, surveys, focus groups, and other efforts. 

It is a common trope in business, healthcare and many other sectors—to be effective in our work, we cannot be confined to silos. While it may be a cliché, it is also true! Collaboration is key to success in any endeavor. This is particularly true in reducing rural health inequities. As we recognize National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 17, 2022, we know that collaboration—not working in silos—will advance cancer and rural equity.

GHEA and the University of Iowa’s Advancing Cancer and Rural Equity Lab hosted "Defining and Describing Rural Communities in Comprehensive Cancer Control Planning" on June 7, 2022. This webinar focused on how rural is commonly defined, what data sources are available to describe the rural cancer burden and cancer risk factors to incorporate into comprehensive cancer control plans.

April marks National Cancer Control Month, a time to re-affirm our awareness of and commitment to cancer control activities. The need for rural-specific cancer prevention and control activities have been increasingly emphasized in recent years, with national recommendations focusing on reducing rural cancer mortality disparities. Learn more about our upcoming webinar series on how comprehensive cancer control plans can meaningfully include rural health in their program planning processes among states, tribal organizations and territories.