Behavioral and psychosocial cancer research in the underserved. An agenda for the future

Background. This research was undertaken to review the status of behavioral and psychosocial cancer research in the underserved. Methods. The author extensively reviewed the literature related to behavioral and psychosocial cancer research in the underserved for this article. The author's experience as the Principal Investigator for the only National Institutes of Health smoking cessation study targeting Asian-Americans also was used in analyzing the literature and developing an agenda for the future. Results. Two questions and accompanying agenda items were addressed. The underserved were defined, and the effect of being underserved was illustrated through their disproportionate and earlier (younger) presence in morbidity and mortality statistics