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CDC awards more than $22 million in grants to increase CRC screening rates
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The CDC today announced it has issued $22,800,000 in grant awards to increase colorectal cancer screening rates among people aged 50 to 76 years.
“Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer of both men and women in the United States, but most colorectal cancer can be prevented,” Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, director of the CDC, said in the press release. “Screening saves lives and funds we are providing the states will support doctors, nurses and others to save lives.”
Tom Frieden
Following a competitive process, these grants were awarded to 24 state health departments, six universities and an American Indian tribe, according to the press release. All Colorectal Cancer Control Programs (CRCCP) grant recipients are required by the CDC to work with their health systems partners to increase CRC screening rates using a combination of evidence-based strategies, including patient and provider reminders and Task Force on Community Preventive Services-recommended provider assessment and feedback. Grant recipients are also required to target their services toward asymptomatic adults aged 50 to 75 years, at-risk populations and low-income, under- or uninsured, racial and ethnic groups who are disproportionately affected or have geographic barriers to screening.
“We are enthusiastic about these grantees promoting more colorectal cancer screening,” Lisa Richardson, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, said in the press release. “We know that colorectal cancer screening can prevent illness and death from colorectal cancer. The more people that are screened, the fewer cases of this cancer we’ll see in the future.”
Six of the grant recipients, including the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Michigan Department of Community Health, Minnesota Department of Health, Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, New York State Department of Health and Washington State Department of Health, were also awarded additional funds to provide people who meet specific criteria with direct CRC screening and follow-up services.
The CRCCP was initiated in 2009 and since then has provided nearly 55,000 CRC screening exams and has diagnosed 165 CRCs and 8,441 cases of precancerous polyps, according to the press release. The program screened 13,425 people in 2014.