Team of Wayne State nursing faculty receives Office of Minority Health grant to reduce barriers to colorectal cancer screening and opioid overdose prevention in metro Detroit
A team of Wayne State University College of Nursing faculty, led by Clinical Associate Professor Cynthera McNeill, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-C, FAANP, has been awarded $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health to implement the Building Relationships to Impact Disparities and Generate Equity (B.R.I.D.G.E) project. The project aims to reduce barriers to colorectal cancer screening and drug overdose prevention in metro Detroit within African American and Middle Eastern North African communities. The grant is eligible for continuation for four years with a total award of over $2 million.
“In the Detroit metro area, colorectal cancer screening and drug overdose disparities are pervasive and multifactorial. More than 29% of residents don’t have access to appropriate screening, and the state is also experiencing an opioid epidemic and drug overdose crisis,” McNeill explained. “Disparities in social determinants of health — specifically access to health care and social and community context — are major contributing factors fueling these issues. This project will leverage the impact of nurses as trusted messengers and implement quality improvement initiatives at clinics with providers in various service organizations and in communities to improve health outcomes.”
The program aims to address these disparities by using the strength of the Wayne State College of Nursing’s established relationships with primary care delivery systems in medically underserved communities and various other community organizations.
Joining McNeill on the B.R.I.D.G.E. project team are Clinical Assistant Professors Angela Bowman, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC; Erik Carter, PhD, APRN, ACNS, CCRN-A, PHN; Umeika Stephens, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC; and Tara Walker, DNP, ACNP-BC; Clinical Professor Nancy George, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP; and Clinical Instructor Randon Jenkins, DNP, AGPCNP-BC.
“Our college is perfectly positioned to lead this important work addressing health disparities that have affected individuals and families in Detroit and surrounding communities,” said WSU College of Nursing Dean Ramona Benkert, PhD, ANP-BC, FAANP. “Supported by our longstanding clinical partnerships and deep-rooted connections throughout metro Detroit, I’m confident that Dr. McNeill and the skilled nursing faculty implementing the B.R.I.D.G.E. project will build lasting interventions that eliminate barriers and improve access to essential care for those who have been underserved for far too long.”
“With the support of this important grant from the Office of Minority Health, Wayne State’s nursing faculty will help create pathways to vital colorectal cancer screening and opioid overdose prevention,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, PhD, vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State. “This project is an example of our commitment to the well-being of our metro Detroit community and beyond. I look forward to the impact that Dr. McNeill and others from our College of Nursing will make with the help of this funding.”
Funding from the Office of Minority Health will support the project's multifaceted initiatives, which include:
- Partnering with five community clinics in medically underserved communities to address known social determinants of health barriers such as health literacy and medical mistrust.
- Addressing transportation barriers for high-risk persons in need of colonoscopies by partnering with Karmanos Cancer Institute and other clinics and caregiver agencies.
- Training 20 registered nurses and 50 community members annually in mental health first aid and Narcan administration.
- Training 150 health care providers annually in substance abuse, colorectal cancer and overdose screening interventions.
- Expanding partnerships with influential community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, to increase colorectal cancer and overdose screening awareness.
- Establishing a free colonoscopy program for high-risk, uninsured patients in collaboration with Karmanos Cancer Institute and other clinical partners.
- Developing a multimedia awareness campaign addressing colorectal cancer screening and opioid overdose in metro Detroit.
Contact
Julie O'Connor, Director of Research Communications
julie.oconnor@wayne.edu
313-577-8845
About the Wayne State University College of Nursing
Recognized as a leader in nursing education, knowledge generation and contemporary nursing practice, the Wayne State University College of Nursing has been dedicated to providing the highest quality education to a diverse population of students for more than 75 years. Through our BSN, MSN, PhD, DNP and graduate certificate programs, Wayne State nursing graduates are prepared to be leaders in research, education and practice, with an enhanced focus on addressing health disparities and the health care needs of urban populations. U.S. News and World Report has recognized the WSU College of Nursing for offering BSN, MSN and DNP programs that are ranked among the best in the country.