Queer in the Heartland: Cancer Risks, Screenings, and Diagnoses among Sexual and Gender Minorities in Iowa.

Little is known about the cancer experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) persons in Midwestern areas. In response, a statewide survey of 567 SGM adults in Iowa, a largely rural Midwestern state, assessed cancer prevalence, screening tests, and related risk factors. Skin cancer accounted for nearly half of reported cancers. Individuals assigned female sex at birth reported high levels of lifetime mammograms and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. In contrast, there were almost no colorectal cancer screenings reported among older (age 50+) respondents, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Current tobacco use was modest overall, and cisgender women were more likely to report heavy drinking than cisgender men. Cisgender men age 40 and younger were less likely to have any human papillomavirus vaccination than cisgender women. The survey identified both strengths to leverage and deficits to address, which may inform future cancer prevention efforts in Iowa and other Midwestern states.

Strategies used and lessons learned by community assistants in organising regional forums for cancer education in Iowa, USA.

Cancer prevention efforts at the community level are essential in the fight against cancer. Understanding community dynamics provides insights into building meaningful relationships between researchers and community organizations. In this study, community assistants were hired to organize and host forums to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, with the goal of strengthening and transforming relationships between a university academic health center and communities. A 19-item questionnaire was developed to determine the strategies community assistants used to schedule and host community forums. Community assistants completed the questionnaire and were interviewed. Community assistants successfully scheduled and hosted 113 forums in 49 cities throughout the state of Iowa, with 2,209 persons attending. Strategies used included cold calls, using contact lists from the Iowa Cancer Consortium membership list, and contacts from business associates. Additionally, electronic and social media were used to arrange and advertise scheduled forums. The various strategies used and lessons learned by the community assistants proved successful in organizing and hosting forums throughout the state of Iowa, which reached 40 of Iowa's 99 counties. The efforts of the community assistants, the Iowa Cancer Consortium, and the Iowa Research Network, laid the foundation for continued cancer research and education collaboration between researchers and community organizations.