Completed Cancer Research Projects | NYU Langone Health

Cancer Research Track Completed Cancer Research Projects

Completed Cancer Research Projects

Scientists in the Cancer Research Track, a part of the Section for Health Equity in NYU Langone’s Division of Health and Behavior, have completed several research projects.

Asian American Hepatitis B Program

In 2003, the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health helped form the Asian American Hepatitis B Program to develop a comprehensive hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening, vaccination, and treatment program. Seventy-five percent of the program’s resources went to community and clinical partners.

With funding from Office of the Mayor of New York City, Chau Trinh-Shevrin, DrPH, and colleagues created the program, which mobilized local community organizations, public hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, independent primary care practices, community health workers, and patient navigators to reach medically underserved and limited-English-proficient communities. Individuals were offered HBV serologic testing at education and screening events or by drop-in at 12 participating healthcare centers and community-based organization sites. The program focused on Chinese, Korean, Southeast Asian, African, Latinx, and Russian immigrants at high risk for HBV.

Overall, about 9,000 high-risk individuals received hepatitis screening, vaccination, and treatment. The prevalence of chronic HBV was about 18 percent. Among HBV-negative individuals, 35.5 percent were susceptible to infection and required vaccination. Ninety percent of the 1,162 individuals completing a full clinical evaluation were referred to care and treatment.

Research conducted through the Asian American Hepatitis B Program enabled the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health and the B Free CEED: National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Hepatitis B Disparities to co-found the NYC HEP B Coalition and inform the development of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene–funded CheckHepB Patient Navigation Program.

The Asian American Hepatitis B Program also influenced the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force policy change in May 2014 on HBV screening to include international-born individuals from countries with a more than 2 percent HBV prevalence rate.

B Free CEED: National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Hepatitis B Disparities

The Asian American Hepatitis B Program led to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) award to fund the B Free CEED: National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Hepatitis B Disparities, from 2007 to 2012. B Free CEED developed, evaluated, and disseminated evidence-based communication strategies, education, screening programs, and collaborative care and treatment models to eliminate HBV disparities in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. B Free CEED was 1 of 18 Centers of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities funded under the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Across the U.S. program.

In 2012, B FREE CEED launched the Be Certain: Get Tested for Hepatitis B campaign, consisting of a 30-second public service announcement available in Chinese and Korean with English subtitles and print ads available in Chinese, Korean, and English.

Muslim Americans Reaching for Health and Building Alliances

Nadia S. Islam, PhD, conducted Muslim Americans Reaching for Health and Building Alliances (MARHABA) to investigate the barriers and facilitators to breast and cervical cancer screening among Muslim women in New York City. This research was conducted with the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Among South Central Asian Immigrants in New York City

Dr. Islam led this study to explore barriers to and facilitators of colorectal cancer screening among Asian Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi New York City residents and to inform culturally tailored campaigns and interventions to increase screening. Learn more about Understanding the Barriers and Facilitators to Colorectal Cancer Screening among South Central Asian Immigrants in New York City conducted through the NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center.