A NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR CANCER SURVIVORSHIP Andy Miller, MHSE, CHES Vice President, Programs and Policy
SURVIVOR/SURVIVORSHIP Survivor definition depends upon personal perspective (person diagnosed, health professional, family member, etc.) LAF, NCI, CDC, NCCS and others favor a big tent, inclusive of the person when first diagnosed and all those affected by the diagnosis. Survivorship allows us to focus on all issues that effect quality-of-life, regardless of who is diagnosed with cancer and when.
QUALITY OF LIFE Physical Wellness and Symptom Management Psychological Wellness Social Wellness Spiritual Wellness LAF adds practical (employment, insurance, financial issues)
A PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONCE
CHARTING THE COURSE Preventing secondary cancers and recurrence of cancer whenever possible. Promoting appropriate management following diagnosis and/or treatment to ensure the maximum number of years of healthy life for cancer survivors. Minimizing i i i preventable pain, disability, and psychosocial distress for those living with, through, and beyond cancer. Supporting cancer survivors in accessing the resources and the Supporting cancer survivors in accessing the resources and the family, peer, and community support they need to cope with their disease.
DEVELOPING THE PLAN Developed through a partnership between LAF and CDC to identify and prioritize needs that will advise cancer survivorship public health efforts: Step 1: Identify needs Step 2: Bring together partners to prioritize and identify strategies Step 3: Disseminate plan Step 4: Gap Analysis Step 5: Establish and monitor key indicators
IDENTIFY NEEDS Achieve the cancer survivorship-related objectives in Healthy People 2010 that include benchmarks for success in measuring improvements for addressing ongoing survivor needs. Increase awareness among the general public, policy makers, survivors, providers, and others of cancer survivorship and its impact. Establish a solid base of applied research and scientific knowledge on the ongoing physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and economic issues facing cancer survivors. Identify appropriate mechanisms and resources for ongoing surveillance of people living with, through, and beyond cancer.
IDENTIFY NEEDS Establish or maintain training for health care professionals to improve delivery of services and increase awareness of issues faced by cancer survivors. Implement effective and proven programs and policies to address cancer survivorship more comprehensively. Ensure that all cancer survivors have adequate access to highquality treatment and other post-treatment follow-up services. Implement an evaluation methodology that will monitor quality and effectiveness of the outcomes of initiatives.
PARTNERS Partners enlisted to develop the priorities of the Action Plan: Cancer survivors Clinical and behavioral science researchers Federal agencies State Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalitions National and local non-profit and social service organizations Advocacy groups Policy makers
CORE COMPONENTS Strategies for addressing the identified needs were discussed by the partners within four core public health components: Surveillance and Applied Research Communication, Education, and Training i Programs, Policies, and Infrastructure Access to Quality Care and Services
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Five cross-cutting needs Database Infrastructure Patient Navigation Programs Clinical Practice Guidelines Public Education Outcomes and Impact 23 priority needs
DISSEMINATION Through LAF, CDC and partners, more than 30,000 plans were initially disseminated. Used as a tool for State Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalitions when establishing strategic priorities for survivorship in state cancer plans. Plans will continue to be disseminated through 2009. CDC has established a Web site and supporting materials to promote the plans.
GAP ANALYSIS CDC has performed the first phase of a gap analysis to determine the current activities of key organizations that address the Action Plan s priority needs: ACS, CancerCare, CDC, LAF, NCCS Second phase could extend to state and community level activities. Data can be used to guide organizations in selecting to initiate activities associated with those priority needs not currently being addressed. Help identify which activities are being evaluated for effectiveness.
IMPACT ON LAF Set priorities for Community Grants Program Established 10 National Partnerships to address priority needs. Created educational information on late-effects and long-term survivorship Established patent navigation program -LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare. Assisting in setting priorities for advocacy agenda.
THANK YOU Andy Miller Andy.miller@laf.org (512) 279-8360