Download MCA Monthly Update - Minnesota Cancer Alliance

The monthly update of the Minnesota Cancer Alliance.
July 2015
Alliance Highlights
Working toward Change workshop set for Sept. 21
Reserve September 21, 10 a.m. -2 p.m., for the second in the Alliance’s series of training opportunities aimed at
building a cadre of cancer change agents. Ask colleagues to save the date too, and watch for registration
information in the August e-newsletter.
Ruth Bachman is featured speaker at 2015 Conference
Thursday, July 16, 8:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Registration is open for Honoring Choices MN’s July 16 Sharing the Experience conference at the Ramada Plaza
Hotel in Minneapolis. Alliance Steering Committee member Ruth Bachman and Minnesota attorney Kris Maser will
share what they have learned over the years about dealing with health challenges.
Rule-making for radon licensing begins in July
The recently passed Minnesota Radon Licensing Act gives the Minnesota Department of Health the authority to
write rules over the next two years to regulate individuals and businesses working in the radon mitigation
field. Licensing fees of $300 to $500 will go into effect on October 1, 2017.
Town Hall Conference on melanoma available online
Michelle Strangis, cancer policy coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Health, joined colleagues from CDC
and Arizona June 9 to discuss the crucial role of active community support in preventing the rise in melanoma
cases. Speakers’ slide presentations, an audio file and transcript of the teleconference are archived on CDC’s Vital
Signs Town Hall website.
Partner Updates
New ACS CAN Government Relations Director named
June 29 was Ellie Beaver’s first day as the American Cancer Society’s government relations director for Minnesota.
She succeeds Matt Schafer, now vice president for government relations – Midwest. Previously a Grassroots
Manager for ACS CAN, Ellie led campaigns to pass a consumer-friendly, state-based health insurance exchange,
and assisted with campaigns to raise the price of tobacco, secure prevention funding for obesity and tobacco-use
reduction, and prohibit the use of tanning beds by minors.
Register now for Healthiest State Summit
The Twin Cities Medical Society and Minnesota Public Health Association will host a one-day summit August 6 on
Reclaiming Minnesota’s #1 Health Ranking. With a focus on health equity, the day will be dedicated to figuring
out why Minnesota dropped from being ranked No. 1 in health in 1992 to No. 6 in 2014. The summit will be held
at the University’s Continuing Education and Conference Center.
Health Advisory: No amount of nicotine safe for youth
A marked increase in e-cigarette and e-juice poisonings of children 5 years old and younger prompted the
Minnesota Department of Health to issue a June health advisory advising parents and professionals about the
dangers of nicotine.
Worth Noting
U of M to strengthen research protections
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents unanimously voted in June to implement a plan that recommends a
number of changes in the way it reviews and approves research involving human subjects. The plan responds to
internal and external reviews that called for creation of an outside review board, stricter controls over conflicts of
interest, and better communication with research participants and the community.
Multiracial Americans – diverse & proud
A new Pew Research Center survey found that a majority of multiracial American adults are proud of their mixedrace background (60%) and feel that it has made them more accepting of other cultures (59%). Importantly, the
survey underscores the complexity of racial identity. Conducted between Feb. 6 and April 6, 2015, the survey
included 1,555 multiracial Americans ages 18 and older.
Just a few miles can take years off life expectancy
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation uses maps to demonstrate that where people live affects their health. In
Atlanta, residents of Buckhead have an average life expectancy of 84. Meanwhile, residents of Bankhead, 5 miles
away, have a life expectancy of 71. What accounts for the 13-year difference? Scarcity of jobs and quality schools,
less access to healthy foods and safe places to be active, among other factors. In Minneapolis/ St. Paul a mere 3
miles could account for a 13-year difference in life span. Atlanta responded to some of its disparities by forming
the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement, which has been working with partners to create plans,
programs and policies to improve health.
Durham, NC wins prize for its Culture of Health
Durham is creating a culture of health driven by the community. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has
recognized the city’s efforts to promote prosperity and equity from multiple angles -- mental, physical, and
socioeconomic.
Take it From a Fish: Health messaging can be fun
Publicis Groupe’s U.S. shop won bronze, silver, and grand prix prizes this year in the pharma category at the
‘other’ Cannes festival (Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity) for its Take it From a Fish campaign.
Update: Minnesota Quality Incentive Payment System
The Minnesota Quality Incentive Payment (QIP) System’s (pay-for-performance) quality measures for 2015 will be
almost identical to those used in 2014. Since its implementation in 2010, the incentive payment system rewards
health care providers for achieving target levels of performance or demonstrating improvement over time on
selected Statewide Quality Measurement & Reporting System (SQRMS) measures.
Education Programs and Events
Webinar: Cancer- What’s Alcohol Got to Do With It?
Tuesday July 7, 1:30 -3p.m.
Whether the conversation focuses on mental health and co-morbidities or on risk factors for cancer, alcohol use rarely comes up. The
National Council for Behavioral Health wants to change that. This webinar will provide ways that primary care and
mental health treatment providers can collectively address alcohol use and cancer.
Ramsey County Smoke-Free Housing Lunch n’ Learn
Friday, July 17, noon –1 p.m.
Property managers interested in going smoke free are invited to join Warren Ortland from the Public Health Law
Center and Jack Ayim from Live Smoke Free to learn about the benefits of making your property smoke-free. The
free Lunch n’ Learn will be held at the Roseville Public Library. Contact Jack at
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Would%20like%20to%20attend%20the%20Roseville%20Lunch%20'n%20Learn
or 651-646-3005 if interested in attending.
MN Community Measurement Seminar
- early bird registration ends July 24
Minnesota Community Measurement will celebrate its 10th anniversary in September with a day-long seminar,
Motivating through Measurement: Catalyzing improvement in health equity, cost and patient outcomes, in
Minneapolis. Featured speakers include former Minneapolis mayor and current chair of the Hennepin County
Medical Center Board of Directors, Sharon Sayles Belton, and Jay Want, M.D. of Want Healthcare.
2015 Impact Summit to focus on data
November 9 –10 are the dates for this year’s Community Indicators Consortium conference which will be held in
Austin, Texas. Building Equitable Communities: Weaving Stories out of Data will focus on the successes, tools, and
potential of data to build equitable communities.
Resources and Publications
New Studies from Clearway MN
Quitting and Switching: Menthol Smokers’ Response to a Menthol Ban
How to define e-cigarette prevalence? Finding clues in the use frequency distribution
Palliative care for rural patients is focus of MN study
Quality measures for community-based, rural palliative care programs in Minnesota: A pilot study was published in
June. The paper was co-authored by Alliance member Lyn Ceronsky with colleagues from the Palliative Care
Department at the University of Minnesota Medical Center.
More doctor visits may point to colon cancer
The International Journal of Cancer released a study that found people consulted their general practitioners more
often in the year leading up to a diagnosis of colon cancer. Patients received more hemorrhoid medications and
hemoglobin counts that suggest potential for earlier diagnosis.
Newly insured Americans report improved access to care and
decreased financial insecurity
Analysis of the Kaiser Family Foundation's 2014 survey of Low-Income Americans and the Affordable Care
Act found that health coverage improved the lives of consumers with more regular, preventive care.
Advance Care Planning videos in Spanish, Hmong, Somali
Honoring Choices Minnesota has created "Voices of Advance Care Planning" videos for patients whose primary
language is Spanish, Hmong, or Somali. The videos are designed for use by physicians, nurses, social workers,
chaplains, community leaders/members, and persons of all generations.
Cancer prevention coalition collaboration toolkit
The National Association of County & City Health Officials has produced a Local Comprehensive Cancer Control
Toolkit to help state and local cancer prevention coalition partners develop and continue their collaborative efforts.
State Cancer Profiles available on web
The National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have launched an interactive
tool that allows users to compare state cancer incidence rates with national rates by cancer site, race/ethnicity,
sex, age and year. Rates are age-adjusted.
Website helps patients see the value of clinical trials
About Clinical Trials (ACT) is an online resource that features unscripted interviews with clinical participants,
doctors, patient rights advocates, and others. The stories, related by peers, help inform patients and their families
about their options in cancer clinical trials.
Cessation programs increase the rates of recovery
The first archived cyber seminar in a three-part series, Tobacco Control and Cancer Survivorship: From Science to
Strategies, describes the negative effects of continuing to use tobacco on the short and long term prognosis of
cancer patients and survivors. In addition, it provides tools for helping tobacco users quit. Featured speakers
share Michigan’s experience in identifying at-risk patients and the potential opportunities and challenges involved
in trying to help them quit.
Announcements
Take a short survey about your work on health equity
The Geographic Health Equity Alliance works to raise awareness about health disparities in tobacco use and
cancer. The alliance is asking for your help in identifying projects, lessons learned, and stories addressing cancer and geographic
disparities.
Volunteers needed for interviews about mobile app
The National Cancer Institute is seeking cancer control volunteers to provide feedback on the mobile application - Research-tested Health Intervention Programs -- developed for the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ Ignite Summer 2015 Accelerator Program. If interested, contact Cynthia Vinson at
[email protected].
RWJF seeks Evidence for Action investigator proposals
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has made an open call for program proposals that would generate
empirical evidence on the key determinants of health encompassed in its Action Framework. The foundation is
currently accepting letters of intent.
Working Together is published monthly to provide Alliance members with timely information about comprehensive
cancer control topics. We invite you to share the update with colleagues, and we invite your contributions. Brief
Alliance highlights and announcements about upcoming partner programs, events, and new resources should be
submitted by the 15th of the month to [email protected].
The Minnesota Cancer Alliance is a coalition of health organizations, community groups and volunteers dedicated
to reducing the burden of cancer for all Minnesotans. Since 2005, its members have pursued five overarching
goals: to PREVENT cancer from occurring; to DETECT cancer at its earliest stages; to help patients ACCESS
effective therapy; to OPTIMIZE quality of life; and to ELIMINATE disparities across the cancer care continuum. The
Alliance is guided by a statewide steering committee representative of member organizations.
For additional information regarding the Minnesota Cancer Alliance, please visit our website at
mncanceralliance.org.
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