Abstract C152: Improving Access to Genetic Services for Women with Breast Cancer from Underserved Communities in California: Design and Implementation of a Community- Engaged Program

Abstract This study aims to understand the barriers to genetic services uptake at the patient, provider, and healthcare system levels, and to develop a multi-level intervention to increase access and suitability to genetic services for women from minority and medically underserved populations in California who have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Germline-informed cancer screening has been found to improve breast cancer survival and help identify close relatives who may have an inherited mutation that increases their susceptibility to cancer. However, only 26% of women diagnosed with breast cancer reported having germline genetic testing; marginalized populations are less likely to receive these services (Kurian et al., 2023). Using Levesque’s Conceptual Framework (Lévesque et al., 2013) and Implementation Mapping (Fernández et al., 2019), we are iteratively developing a multi-level program to explore the role that Community Health Workers (CHWs)/Promotoras can play in reducing access disparities to genetic services. Eleven CHWs/Promotoras have completed 80 hours of CHW training, 7 hours of mental health, insurance and group facilitation training, and 14 hours of cancer health training. CHWs/Promotoras have established local community breast cancer groups in their local communities across California’s Central Valley and are participating in and organizing breast cancer health fairs in their communities in partnership with Community Based Organizations (CBOs). Identifying and addressing the barriers to genetic services is critical to reducing access disparities to genetic services for underserved populations. CHWs/Promotoras are a promising resource to help reduce existing disparities in genetic services for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Citation Format: Iñigo Verduzco Gallo, Nanci Chavarria Villa, Angelica Rolon, Guadalupe Carvajal, Ana P. Estrada-Florez, Luis G Carvajal-Carmona. Improving Access to Genetic Services for Women with Breast Cancer from Underserved Communities in California: Design and Implementation of a Community- Engaged Program abstract. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr C152.