Recruitment of underserved, high-risk participants to a head and neck cancer screening program

Objectives/Hypothesis Early detection is essential in head and neck cancer treatment as prognosis varies greatly with stage at diagnosis. Underserved populations often present with advanced disease, and individuals with tobacco and heavy alcohol use demonstrate a higher head and neck cancer incidence. This study aims to evaluate whether various promotional methods differentially recruited behavioral risk factor positive and/or underserved populations to our screening event. Study Design Prospective cross‐sectional study. Methods A hospital‐based, medical student‐run, free head and neck cancer screening event for 187 participants was held in April 2015. Medical campus‐based, community‐based, and media‐based promotions were implemented to recruit participants. Event participants filled out questionnaires to determine how they were recruited, their risk‐factor history, and their socioeconomic status. Prevalence of the higher‐risk population across the various promotional methods was analyzed. Results Community‐based promotions were significantly associated with the recruitment of participants in the underserved subgroups, namely uninsured (P = .019), unemployed (P = .006), and those with an annual household income