Mississippi Partnership for Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition

Summary Manage, build and oversee the Mississippi Partnership for Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition (MP3C) to leverage resources to plan and implement evidence-based strategies to promote the primary prevention of cancer; support cancer early detection efforts, address the needs of cancer survivors; and promote health equity. This project supports comprehensive cancer control, a philosophical approach that brings together partners and other organizations to collectively address a community's cancer burden in a much more impactful way than any one organization could accomplish alone. Background Mississippi suffers disproportionately from many chronic diseases, ranking 12th in the nation in the incidence of cancer. Each year, more than 13,000 Mississippians are diagnosed with cancer and about 6,000 die from cancer, making it the second leading cause of death in Mississippi. However, the number of new cancer cases can be reduced, and many cancer deaths can be prevented. Many preventive measures that could help delay the onset of these chronic illnesses are often overlooked. Theories vary as to why Mississippians either elect not to have or are not aware of preventive screenings that could reduce premature death and disabilities from cancer, in particular; low educational attainment coupled with limited access to health care, high poverty rates, and other social determinants can result in health disparities. This project proposes to implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach to inform policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to prevent and control cancer using a coalition structure.