DETROIT – Wayne State University and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute researchers have secured a substantial grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS) to establish the Digital Engagement and Cancer Outcomes (DECO) Center. The center’s goals are to better understand the impact of the digital environment and digital inclusion on outcomes and disparities among Black cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, and advance interventions that both integrate and impact hospital and community resources to improve outcomes at the individual level.
Funded by a four-year, $4.07 million ACS Cancer Health Research Center grant, the center will be housed at the Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit. Researchers will build and strengthen connections with Detroit’s digital equity ecosystem; link cancer patients, survivors and caregivers disadvantaged by the digital divide with a range of resources that promote digital inclusion; and, ultimately, improve cancer care and outcomes.
Racial disparities in cancer care are well-documented, with many challenges experienced by Black cancer patients and survivors in Detroit. Findings by the center’s research team have shown lower health-related quality of life among Black cancer survivors compared to White survivors, as well as an association between greater financial hardship and lower quality of life. Other research has found that oncologists rated higher in implicit racial bias had shorter interactions with Black patients, and patients rated those oncologists’ communication as less patient-centered and supportive.
There is growing evidence that challenges confronted by cancer patients and post-treatment survivors can be effectively addressed through digital health tools. However, digital inclusion is a major hurdle in Detroit. Internet access, specifically access to broadband service and reliable high-speed internet, has been described as a “super determinant” of health, yet according to a recent U.S. Census American Community Survey, only 57.6% of Detroiters have broadband service.
“We are incredibly grateful and excited for this opportunity to expand research and programs that focus on digital inclusion and help to ensure that all individuals and communities can access and use digital health tools to support optimal cancer outcomes,” said Hayley Thompson, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the grant and the DECO Center, and professor of Oncology at the Wayne State School of Medicine, as well as associate center director for Community Outreach and Engagement at Karmanos. “It’s significant that the past decade has seen greater effort to address the social determinants of health -- the non-medical factors affecting health like employment, housing and food access -- in health care settings. However, the digital divide and digital inclusion have not consistently been part of that conversation. In fact, digital inclusion is now being considered a super-determinant of health, especially broadband access, which has been shown to be associated with area-level health outcomes.”
Dr. Thompson, also a member of the Population Studies Research Program at WSU and Karmanos, explained the importance that the research also takes into account meaningful use of digital tools for patients. Some questions she suggests need to be part of the research are:
“This is especially important in Detroit, where the majority of residents are Black, one-third of residents live in poverty and cancer disparities are striking,” Dr. Thompson said. “The good news is that Detroit and the metro area already have leaders in this domain and digital inclusion expertise through organizations and networks. They also provide a firm foundation for the work we have proposed.”
The center, in its inaugural research, includes three core projects:
In addition to the three studies, the DECO Center includes more than 30 community partners and organizations as collaborators, including cancer patients and caregivers, and organizations that support digital inclusion and access. Two organizations collaborating during the project are Human-I-T, a social enterprise offering low-cost new and refurbished devices at a range of price points and options for low-cost high-speed internet, and the Patient Empowerment Network, a national non-profit organization focusing on technology use and providing informational and educational resources to support patients and caregivers throughout every phase of their cancer experience. The DECO Center will also integrate Karmanos’ Technology Assistance for Cancer Patients and Caregivers Program, based on resources developed by the Patient Empowerment Network.
Other WSU faculty serving as co-investigators on the project include Carrie Leach, Ph.D., assistant research professor at WSU’s Institute of Gerontology; Seongho Kim, Ph.D., professor and member of the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program; Janaka Liyanage, Ph.D., M.S., assistant professor; and Ariel Washington, Ph.D., MSSW, assistant professor and Population Studies Research Program member. Theresa Butler, a cancer survivor and longtime Karmanos community advocate, will serve as a community co-investigator.
“This project is a great example of the important research that Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer Institute faculty do that ultimately impacts the well-being of our community,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for Research and Innovation at Wayne State University. “I look forward to the important outcomes of this research team that is critical to the mission of Wayne State’s Grand Challenges initiative of improving lives of Detroiters and beyond.”
“Karmanos’ partnership with Wayne State has led to groundbreaking cancer research, especially research that has delved into the social determinants and barriers among our communities when it comes to knowledge about cancer and receiving care,” said Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, president and CEO of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. “The work Dr. Hayley Thompson’s team is doing will change the way we provide information to the community in the future.”
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About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu .
About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Karmanos Cancer Institute is a leader in transformative cancer care, research and education through courage, commitment and compassion. The Karmanos vision is a world free of cancer. As part of McLaren Health Care, Karmanos is the largest provider of cancer care and research in Michigan. For more than 75 years, the administrative and research headquarters, along with the premier specialty cancer hospital, have been located in downtown Detroit. With multiple network sites, Karmanos delivers world-renowned care and access to clinical trials throughout Michigan and northern Ohio. The National Cancer Institute recognizes Karmanos as one of the best cancer centers in the nation with a comprehensive cancer center designation. Its academic partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine provides the framework for cancer research and education – defining new standards of care and improving survivorship. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit karmanos.org . Follow Karmanos on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook , X , and Instagram .