Moving to Action: Addressing Cervical Cancer in South Carolina

South Carolina is a state with excess cervical cancer mortality, a disease closely associated with high-risk or cancer-causing types of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Recent innovations in HPV prevention and control, including HPV testing and vaccination, have raised the profile of HPV in cervical cancer prevention and control efforts. The audience has expanded to include pediatricians, parents, policymakers, and many others. As a result, stakeholders, including researchers, public health practitioners, clinicians, community- and faith-based leaders, survivors, and advocates, from across the state have started an effort, “Moving to Action: Addressing Cervical Cancer in South Carolina,” to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategic plan to address excess cervical cancer mortality from prevention, control, and policy perspectives while continuing to support discovery work in the field of cervical cancer. “Moving to Action: Addressing Cervical Cancer in South Carolina” is supported by funds received by the USC Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities and USC-Claflin EXPORT Center. A statewide event in June 2008 is being planned to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to identify ways to address cervical cancer and most importantly implement such solutions on the local level.

Planning Group Directory

Agendas of Planning Group Meetings:

• Agenda for May 9, 2008 Meeting

Minutes of Planning Group Meetings:

• Minutes of April 10, 2008 Meeting
• Minutes of May 9, 2008 Meeting

Resources for Planning Group Members:

• Report on Cervical Cancer in South Carolina as a result of a Legislative Proviso South Carolina Cervical Cancer Study: A Report on the Status of Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, Report to the Governor and General Assembly
• Example of Community Action Plans:
  Action Plans for the State Baptist Young Woman’s Auxiliary developed at “A Call to Action” in March 2007
• Article on HPV in State Cancer Plans
  Steele CB et al. (2008). Human Papillomavirus-Related Content in State and Tribal Comprehensive Cancer Control Plans. Journal of Women’s Health, 17(1), 5-10.
• SC Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan with Cervical Cancer Content Highlighted
  The full plan (without highlighting) is available at:
  http://www.sccanceralliance.org/UserFiles/SC Cancer Plan.pdf
• Abstract submissions to:
  • James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture on April 25, 2008
  • 2008 SC HIV/STD Conference on October 15-17, 2008
• Report on Excess Cervical Cancer Mortality:
  Freeman HP, Wingrove BK. Excess cervical cancer mortality: A marker for low access to health care in poor communities. Rockville, MD: National Cancer Institute, Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities; 2005. Report: NIH Pub. No. 05-5282.
• Article on Cervical Cancer in South Carolina:
  Brandt HM, Modayil MV, Hurley D, Pirisi-Creek LA, Johnson MG, Davis J, Mathur SP, Hebert JR. Cervical cancer disparities in South Carolina: An update of early detection, special programs, descriptive epidemiology, and emerging directions. J S C Med Assoc. 2006 Aug;102(7):223-30.
• Overview of Cervical Cancer Screening Recommendations
• Cervical Cancer Incidence (1996-2002) and Mortality (1995-2003) in South Carolina
  • Cervical Cancer New Cases
  • Cervical Cancer New Cases by County
  • Cervical Cancer Deaths
  • Cervical Cancer Deaths by County
• Cervical Cancer Incidence in the United States by Area of Residence, 1998-2001 (Benard et al., 2007)

Acknowledgment:
The EXPORT Center for Partnerships to Eliminate Disparities in Cancer and HIV (A Partnership between the University of South Carolina and Claflin University) is supported by a research grant from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health (1P20MD001770-01). “Moving to Action: Addressing Cervical Cancer in South Carolina” is an effort undertaken by many dedicated individuals representing several organizations and agencies from across the state and nationally.