Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 MSU School of Social Work Newsletter MSU-Social-Work-2017-2018-Newsletter | Page 7

Deirdre Shires to co-lead project
addressing cancer disparities among
sexual and gender minorities
M
Dr. Deirdre Shires
Cancer-related
patient-centered
outcomes
research has the
potential to more
fully describe
SGM experiences
across the cancer
care continuum
and identify
promising points
of intervention.
SU School of Social Work faculty member Dr. Deirdre Shires will
co-lead a project selected for Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement
Award funding to help develop a skilled community of patients and
other stakeholders from across the entire healthcare enterprise and involve
them meaningfully in every aspect of PCORI’s work. The project will be led by
Hayley Thompson (Karmanos Cancer Institute/Wayne State University) and
Curtis Lipscomb (LGBT Detroit–Community Lead). The award will fund the
“Partnering with Sexual and Gender Minority Communities to Address Cancer
Disparities in Detroit” project with $250,000 over two years.
Approximately one million sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) live with
cancer in the U.S. today. There is evidence that SGM cancer disparities exist,
yet little is known about SGM experiences across the cancer care continuum.
This is particularly true for African American SGMs who may experience greater
disadvantage and cancer burden due to the intersection of SGM identity and
race. Cancer-related patient-centered outcomes research has the potential to
more fully describe SGM experiences across the cancer care continuum and
identify promising points of intervention.
This project will be a collaboration between Karmanos Cancer Institute/
Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and community partners
to expand Detroit HealthLink for Equity in Cancer Care (an ongoing PCORI
project). The goal of the project is to establish two Cancer Action Councils with
community stakeholders in the metro Detroit SGM community. Cancer Action
Council members will be trained in research methods and ultimately assist with
conducting a series of focus groups in the community to identify cancer-specific
patient-centered outcomes research needs among racially and socioeconomically
diverse SGM individuals.
Dr. Shires stated, “We are starting to understand that cancer disparities
exist for sexual and gender minorities—in screening rates, age of diagnosis, and
quality of life for survivors, for example. But, we know so little about the specific
healthcare needs of this community related to cancer. This study is exciting
because local SGM community members who have been affected by cancer in
some way will be involved in every step of the process.”
Fall 2017/Winter 2018 SSW NEWS
FACULTY RESEARCH
7