Nora Abo-Sido, MD, MPH is a physician dual-trained in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, specializing in the care of adults and children across the lifespan and dedicated to improving the health of historically marginalized populations, particularly families with sickle cell disease, individuals and families who experience incarceration, and refugees. Dr. Abo-Sido received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 2018 and completed residency training at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. She is the recipient of the Medicine & Pediatrics Program Directors Association (MPPDA) Walter W. Tunnessen, Jr., M.D., Award, presented to one resident nationally for excellence in clinical care, education, and advocacy. During her Commonwealth Fund Fellowship year, she worked with the Boston Public Health Commission’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Division.
Nora Abo-Sido, MD, MPH
Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Hospitalist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
A Community-Centered City of Boston Chronic Disease and Cancer Early Detection Initiative
Background: Boston is diverse in race, ethnicity, country of birth, and languages spoken with approximately 3 in 5 residents identifying as people of color in the 2020 Census. Boston is also city segregated by race, income, and education, with drastic disparities in life expectancy between neighborhoods seen in the high of 91.6 years in Back Bay, and the low of 68.8 years in Roxbury. This stark neighborhood-based disparity highlights the profound impact of social determinants of health. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Boston and while incidence and mortality rates are declining, disparities persist. Cancer burden remains notably high among historically marginalized residents of Boston, particularly Black, Asian, Latinx and immigrant residents. Black Bostonians are almost twice as likely to die from colorectal cancer than White Bostonians, with a 2019-2021 age-adjusted colorectal cancer mortality rate of 15.5 vs 8.5 per 100,000 and a premature (age <65 years) mortality rate of 6.1 vs 3.1. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) received funding from the Colon Cancer Coalition to develop a tailored colon cancer screening campaign. The initial phase used focus groups, key informant interviews, informal feedback sessions, and continuous reporting to develop a community input strategy to increase screening rates among African American, Caribbean-American, and Latinx communities.
Objectives:
- Implement culturally competent public-facing educational campaigns to educate and provide resources for individuals, families, and communities to improve chronic disease and cancer outcomes for minoritized Boston communities.
- Promote key stakeholder engagement to standardize risk-based early detection for chronic disease and cancer.
- Advocate for policy to improve chronic disease and cancer outcomes and health equity in partnership with other BPHC offices and key stakeholders across the city.
Results:
- Reviewed literature, community needs and best practices to author a Community-Centered City of Boston Chronic Disease and Cancer Early Detection Initiative (CCEDI) adopted by the BPHC.
- Expanded online data visualization database to map community partners and key stakeholders across the city of Boston using KUMU software.
- Designed multilingual BPHC-branded media for the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Division.
Future Directions:
- Launch next phase of colorectal cancer screening communication campaign with filming of identified local leaders from Boston’s African American, Haitian Creole, and Spanish speaking communities.
- Follow up with community members who provided input during the planning stage for feedback of materials prior to rollout.
- Submit CCEDI workplan to BPHC leadership for tailored campaigns to address disparities in chronic disease and cancer outcomes for other minoritized groups including Asian American and Pacific Islanders, immigrants, individuals who experience incarceration and those experiencing houselessness as well as communication campaigns for other cancers (lung, melanoma) and chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, and obesity).
Preceptor: Mark Kennedy, MBA, Senior Program Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Division, Boston Public Health Commission