The latest addition to our series entitled “Knowledge synthesis, translation and exchange” has just been published and it is a great one, if I might say so myself!
Mavis Jones, Brenda Ross, Alyssa Cloth and Laura Heller from Canada, aimed to answer the question: “which interventions have been found effective in supporting underscreened people to participate in cancer screening?”, in order to support knowledge translation and implementation of such interventions.
The authors reviewed three types of interventions: a) community-based health education, b) lay or peer health education and c) targeted or tailored interventions in various types of cancer. They looked into disparities in screening uptake for specific subgroups due to barriers related to age, ethnicity, race, immigration status, gender identity, socioeconomic status etc. As some of these subgroups (for example newcomers and immigrants, rural and remote populations, people living with low income) are over-represented in some parts of Canada, this review is very relevant for the country- and not only).
The authors found that
– Interventions based on community-based health education are most effective when they are based on community-driven design and partnerships.
– Lay or peer health education interventions are best at reaching particular groups, like immigrants
– Targeted or tailored interventions address barriers associated with health beliefs or literacy.
In addition, based on this review, the authors developed a decision tool for intervention planners. Research for evidence-based decision making at its best!
