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Background: Food insecurity, an economic and social condition of limited food access, is associated with poor diet quality—a risk factor for several common cancers. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center supports healthy food access through community‐led evidence translation by actively partnering with community‐based organizations (CBOs). These partnerships aim to enhance the capacity of food assistance CBOs to effectively implement evidence‐based food insecurity mitigation programs in the cancer center's area of influence. Methods: This case study aims to describe the cancer center's model for local food access capacity building and detail operationalization in the context of a whole‐community cancer prevention effort (Be Well Baytown) in Baytown, Texas. Results: Elements central to the capacity building model include (i) assessment of baseline needs and capacity, (ii) empowering a community champion within a relevant CBO, (iii) mapping inter‐sectoral community partnerships, collaborations, and linkages, and (iv) leveraging systems, connections, and resources to provide an enabling environment for overall food access systems growth. Through this process, Be Well Baytown enhanced the capacity of a local food pantry leading to increases in total reach, pounds of food distributed, and number of food distribution events in collaboration with intersectoral partners from 2018 to 2023. Conclusion: This case study highlights the model's implementation as a co‐benefit community partnership strategy to maximize the impact of food security programs integrated with comprehensive cancer center prevention efforts. The purpose of this case study is to summarize learning from supporting food assistance CBOs to effectively implement evidence‐based food insecurity mitigation programs and to better understand how to optimize use of community‐driven food security programs aligned to Comprehensive Cancer Center's (CCC) community outreach and engagement (COE) efforts. The case study demonstrates a successful community partnership strategy integrating food security programs into comprehensive cancer prevention efforts that improved the capacity of a local food pantry, resulted in expanded reach, increased food distribution, and more collaborations with partners from 2018 to 2023 offering a model for other CCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). This population faces many short- and long-term health and psychosocial consequences of cancer diagnosis and treatment, but many programs for cancer treatment, survivorship care, and psychosocial support do not focus on the specific needs of AYA cancer patients. Recognizing this health care disparity, the National Cancer Policy Forum of the Institute of Medicine convened a public workshop to examine the needs of AYA patients with cancer. Workshop participants identified many gaps and challenges in the care of AYA cancer patients and discussed potential strategies to address these needs. Suggestions included ways to improve access to care for AYAs, to deliver cancer care that better meets the medical and psychosocial needs of AYAs, to develop educational programs for providers who care for AYA cancer survivors, and to enhance the evidence base for AYAs with cancer by facilitating participation in research.

In the present study, the authors investigated what prosocial-assertive, passive, and coercive strategies 6-year-olds (N = 257) would propose in response to stories about 2 socially challenging situations: displacing another child in a game and obtaining a toy from another child. The scenarios also varied the gender composition of the characters. Participants' verbalizations while acting out their responses using toy props fell into 13 categories of strategies. Teachers reported antisocial behavior and social competence of the participants. Girls and boys responded similarly in their general suggestions of prosocial or assertive strategies, but girls were more likely to offer prosocial strategies with other girls than with boys. Teacher-rated competence and antisocial behavior interacted in predicting coercive responses by girls but not by boys. The results demonstrate that prosocial and antisocial behaviors need to be considered in interaction to fully understand the nature of social competence.

Program evaluation can identify the successes and challenges of implementing clinical programs, which can inform future dissemination efforts. A cancer genetics improvement program, disseminated from the Lead Team's institution to five health systems (Participating Sites), was genetic counselor led, using virtual implementation facilitation to support Participating Sites' performance of quality improvement (QI) activities over several years. Program implementation and outcome evaluations were performed and included evaluation of program delivery and initial effects of the program on Participating Sites. A logic model guided evaluation of program implementation (inputs, activities, outputs, delivery/fidelity, and coverage/reach) and initial outcomes (short‐term and intermediate outcomes). Data were collected from program documents and an Evaluation Survey of Participating Site team members (21 respondents), compared against the Lead Team's expectations of participation, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. All program inputs, outputs, and activities were available and delivered as expected across the five Participating Sites. The most frequently used activities and inputs were facilitation‐associated meetings and meeting resources, which were rated as useful/helpful by the majority of respondents. Nearly all respondents noted improvement in short‐term outcomes following participation: 82.4% reported increased awareness of clinical processes, 94.1% increased knowledge of QI methods, 100% reported increased perceived importance of QI, 94.1% increased perceived feasibility of QI, and 76.5% reported increased problem‐solving skills and self‐efficacy to use QI at their site. Intermediate outcomes (identifying barriers, developing interventions, improved teamwork, and capacity) were achieved following program participation as indicated by the results of the program document review and Evaluation Survey responses. Implementation challenges at Participating Sites included staffing constraints, difficulties obtaining buy‐in and participation, and developing interventions over time. The multi‐site improvement program was delivered and implemented with high levels of fidelity and resulted in improved short and intermediate outcomes. Future research will evaluate long‐term, patient‐level outcomes associated with site‐specific QI interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Survivorship care plans (SCPs) for posttreatment cancer survivors are recommended by leading health organizations, yet many survivors are not receiving SCPs. This results in suboptimal survivorship care. Objectives: To understand survivors' perspectives on how having an SCP would have changed their survivorship experience and to provide insight into the potential of SCPs to meet survivor information needs. Methods: In LIVESTRONG's 2014-2015 Surveys of Cancer Survivors, we asked survivors who reported they had not received an SCP to comment on how an SCP might have changed their posttreatment experience. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of respondents' (n = 158) open-ended responses. Results: Respondents who did not receive an SCP felt they would have benefited from receiving a care plan. Emerging themes suggest that an SCP would have improved emotional experience (n = 54), increased knowledge of what to expect (eg, long-term side effects) (n = 56), or improved their quality of care and their health following treatment completion (n = 20). A subset of respondents (n = 23) indicated they were unsure how an SCP would have changed their experience, if at all. Discussion: The findings suggest that cancer survivors who did not receive an SCP perceive that receiving this resource would have improved their survivorship experience. The findings also suggest that an SCP would benefit some survivors more than others, depending on the complexity of their disease, their treatment experience, and their posttreatment informational needs. Conclusion: Findings reflect an opportunity to fill a gap in survivorship care planning and address the information needs of posttreatment cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]