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Healthcare Journal of New Orleans
time and facilities access to the success of its collec-
tive impact. With the advent of NOKP’s newneigh-
borhood-based service delivery initiative “GRoW”
(Great Resources Whereyat), the Public Library is
poised to play an even greater role in the stimula-
tion and sustenance of multi-sector collaboration
on behalf of children in the coming years.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Founda-
tion
was recognized as a philanthropic organiza-
tion that helped to stimulate and sustain multi-
sector collaboration on behalf of children during
the past year. The Foundation has three signature
programs: The Angel Award®, an annual recognition
of outstanding Louisiana volunteers who improve
the quality of life for at-risk children; Challenge for
a Healthier Louisiana, a grant program that sup-
ports community initiatives that aim to improve
health and reduce obesity; and Smart Bodies®, a
school-basedprogramtoprevent childhoodobesity.
Beyond being one of only 12 initial recipients of a
Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana grant in August
2012 for its GRoW initiative, NOKP partners have
benefitted enormously from the technical assis-
tance and support of the Foundation and its part-
ners at Pennington Biomedical Research Institute.
NewOrleans CityHealthDepartment
looks to serve
NewOrleanians as a 21st century healthdepartment
and a model for the nation, capable of improving
population health through data-driven decision-
making and policy development. NOHD protects,
promotes and improves the health of all community
members so they can achieve their full potential.
As one of six inaugural winners of the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation Roadmaps to Health Prize,
NOHD has focused on community partnerships
that help residents live healthier lives. Fit NOLA
is focused on increasing awareness by providing
resources for families and the community to be
fit; empowering youth to be advocates for healthy
policies; building capacity by improving access to
affordable, nutritious food as well as safe environ-
ments for physical activity and opportunities to
exercise; and setting standards by highlighting
successful programs and supporting policies that
encourage healthy lifestyles.
NOKP is a voluntary collaboration among organi-
zations that serve, support, engage and empower
children and youth in the Greater NewOrleans area.
Founded in 2006, NOKP partners work together to
develop, share, coordinate and leverage resources
healthcare briefs
// www.healthcarejournalno.com
so that all children and youth reach their potential.
Every year, NOKPhosts a LeadershipBreakfast for its
partners and extended networks to reflect upon the
year’s challenges and accomplishments. As a cen-
tral part of the event, the leadership of NOKP gives
awards to local agencies and individuals that have
been key to the partnership’s success during the pre-
vious year. NOKP is part of America’s Promise Alli-
ance, the country’s largest partnership organization
dedicated to improving the lives of young people.
Research Finds Young
Cancer Patients Isolated
Research conducted by Xiao-Cheng Wu, MD, PhD,
Associate Professor and Director of the Louisiana
Tumor Registry at the LSU Health Sciences Cen-
ter New Orleans School of Public Health, and col-
leagues, reports adolescents and young adults with
cancermay be at higher risk for social isolation and
that a substantial proportion of them have unmet
social needs that could adversely affect their health.
The research is published online in the
Journal of
Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
.
More than 500 participants in the Adolescent and
Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experi-
ence (AYA HOPE) Study completed a survey 6-14
months after diagnosis that included questions
about two social information needs – how to talk
about their cancer experience with family and
friends and meeting other adolescents or young
adult cancer patients/survivors. Patients were iden-
tified through seven Surveillance, Epidemiology
and End Results (SEER) program sites: the states
of Iowa and Louisiana; the metropolitan areas of
Detroit, Michigan and Seattle/Puget Sound, Wash-
ington; and threemetropolitan areas in California:
Los Angeles County, San Francisco/Oakland, and
Sacramento County.
The participants were 15 to 39 years old at diag-
nosis and were diagnosed with cancers prevalent
in that age group. The researchers examined such
variables as age at diagnosis, gender, race/ethnicity,
education, and health insurance status at diagno-
sis. They looked at clinical factors including treat-
ment (radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery), cur-
rent general health, overall quality of care, and the
number of symptoms experienced in the previous
month. Participants were asked about the overall
impact of their cancer on specific areas of their lives.
The research team found that social information
needs were higher among those who were in their
20s at diagnosis –with 25% reporting needing help
to talk about their cancer. About 43% of those of
Hispanic or “other” race/ethnicity expressed a need
to meet peer survivors. Those who were not in a
support group, had a high number of symptoms or
additional illnesses, aswell as lowperceived quality
of care, also needed more help.
Suggested interventions include the development
of programs capable of providing support at differ-
ent phases of the cancer experience, providing ser-
vices for a diverse age range, overcoming geographic
and financial barriers and a lack of cultural diversity
in the offerings, as well as increasing awareness
and access to peer support groups with other can-
cer patients and survivors. Improving awareness
of and access to online connection through social
media, as well as help in learning how to share their
experiences with loved ones would also bolster
support. The researchers say that developing com-
munication tools specifically for them may help
these young patients express their needs and gain
emotional support from their family and friends. It
is also important to educate health care profession-
als and others about these resources.
In addition to Dr. Wu at the LSU Health Sciences
Center NewOrleans School of Public Health, other
authors from the AYA HOPE Study Collaborative
Group include researchers fromtheNational Cancer
Institute, Cancer Prevention Institute of California,
Stanford University School of Medicine, Univer-
sity of Iowa, University of Southern California Keck
School of Medicine, Wayne State University School
of Medicine, and FredHutchinson Cancer Research
Center. The study was funded by the National Can-
cer Institutewith support fromthe Lance Armstrong
Foundation.
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