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Background: Cancer incidence and mortality rates continue to decline in part due to increased screenings and education. However, certain population groups (e.g., uninsured, underinsured, minorities) experience lower screening rates for breast, cervical, and colon cancers and exhibit marked disparities in cancer outcomes compared to the general population.
Program background: Primary care providers, especially providers who serve in community clinics, are a critical component in improving cancer screening rates. CancerSPACE (Simulating Practice and Collaborative Education) is an interactive, web-based educational tool in a game format designed to educate clinical staff of community health centers about cancer screening. Simulated challenges are presented in a virtual clinic environment that address realistic barriers and other commonly experienced issues related to cancer screening. The practitioner is provided with a set of options to help overcome the barriers and accumulates ‘game points' by checking the evidence and integrating evidence-based approaches to solve the clinical problems. The simulated environment allows practitioners to integrate new information by ‘practicing' new approaches and building confidence to overcome the real world clinic challenges.
Evaluation Methods and Results: This presentation will provide an overview on using virtual learning platforms as a method of health education, present the CancerSPACE educational tool, discuss evaluation outcomes and dissemination efforts, and raise awareness about the educational resources that are available through NCI.
Conclusions: Current evaluation results will be shared.
Implications for research and/or practice: Simulated environments and game-based tools can effectively educate health care providers on cancer screening content. The format has the potential to be used in a variety of settings using specifically tailored content.