Bonny Morris, PhD, RN, MSPH

Invited discussant Bonny Morris, PhD, RN, MSPH, of the American Cancer Society, underscored the use of precision medicine education, literacy, and language-concordant educational tools, as well as effective interventions for food insecurity, to improve cancer health equity in underserved rural areas.

“The results from the ongoing investigation indicate a decrease in time from diagnosis to treatment, increased clinical trials education and participation, and higher treatment completion rates compared to county averages,” said Dr. Morris. “Beyond these promising outcomes, the trial addresses significant systemic health-care challenges faced by the Hispanic Latinx community, where we see 176,000 cancer cases annually.”

According to Dr. Morris, the study also affirms the role of community health workers and patient navigators in improving health-care access and outcomes in these underserved populations. “Their roles in education, outreach, counseling, social support, advocacy, and care coordination were notably emphasized, highlighting the potential impact of nonclinical support on clinical outcomes,” said Dr. Morris. 

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Morris reported no conflicts of interest.