From Data to Impact: Designing Community-led Solutions for Cancer Health Equity
Cedars-Sinai Cancer Research Center for Health Equity (CRCHE) and Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) brings together researchers and stakeholders to address and correct health inequities that impact communities in Southern California. CRCHE conducts research and gathers cancer-related data showing disparities in screening and mortality rates across different locations and demographics. It also offers a range of open-source, evidence-based solutions to help mitigate these disparities with capacity building and training assistance.
In this Designmatters studio, students explored how to help health workers and community organizations utilize publicly available and CRCHE gathered data to identify cancer health equity issues, then bridge these insights to actionable, evidence-based solutions that address the specific needs of local communities. These solutions include utilizing interventions, organizing and changing health and community practices to advance equity. Through collaborative, interdisciplinary work, students utilized ethical research practices that honor community voices and knowledge toward connecting communities, data, and meaningful action.
“A lot of these ideas from student team are so original. It’s not the same old, same old. When we work with Designmatters we just know that we’re going to get an incredible product at the end of it, and many of these we’re able to put into action very quickly. They’re very cost efficient, which makes all the difference in terms of putting it into action.”
– Zul Surani, Director, Community Outreach and Engagement and Operations, Research Center for Health Equity
Research and Project Development
The studio kicked off with presentations from Cedars Sinai CRCHE, starting with an overview statistics and examples of where inequalities exist in their catchment area of Los Angeles County. Members of the Community Outreach and Engagement team shared how Cedars works with community organizations on the ground to establish trust. These partnerships often rely on creative solutions to encourage residents to get screened. Cedars stressed that any campaign or design-based disruption must put the needs of the community first. Cedars relies on evidence-based research to see what truly makes a difference, asking how a selected intervention can make an impact.
The students learned CRCHE’s four goals: Assess and monitor cancer burden in California populations, facilitate research and communication, influence policy, and increase community engagement with partnerships that can disseminate information to the target audience. The Cedars teams shared how they evaluate success in partnerships which included an increased adoption of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in community organization and coalitions.
The Cedars team has established wide-reaching partnerships with community groups, faith-based organizations and other trusted establishments. Cedars reps teach community leaders and doctors/providers how to engage the residents with effective resources and tools. These friendly, on-the-ground navigators empower community members to take action.
Cedars described the barriers to screenings, despite free clinics that are often found in their areas. What keeps people from going? Overall, they stressed that “You have to listen to community voices and be respectful,” when doing any research or outreach.
Cedars also shared how new ideas are adopted. There are eager innovators, but other adopters may need more time to adapt to the changing landscape. The importance of peers and related organizations were also discussed. If groups (such as a church) see other churches promoting a new model, they would be more apt to follow suit.
After the kickoff session, teams organized their thoughts and prepared to dive into their research phase.
“As a partner, Cedars teaches me what it means to be committed to social innovation over the long haul. When Cedars brings us a topic, they also bring to us a whole network of community partners, that’s impossible to connect with if you don’t have a long term commitment, and also if you don’t have a long term trust in a particular area. There’s no possible way that Cedars could bring us community partners if they themselves didn’t have trust in the community.”
— Joshua Halstead, instructor
Research and Midterms
In week six, student teams shared their research results with the Cedars team. They honed their presentation skills as they explained where they looked, individuals they talked with, what they found and how they interpreted the data. Feedback from Cedars helped the students modify their insights and pointed them in a good direction for their campaign design.
Mid-term presentations showcased what the teams had learned and synthesized in a matter of weeks. Through simple and rough sketches, they offered three possible projects in a targeted population and region that connected their research to ideation concepts.
Cedars responded with practical comments and suggested next steps; they commended the teams on thoughtful presentations and design-thinking, but pushed the students to continue to conceptualize a campaign that can be easily and effectively implemented by community organizations. “How do you encourage groups to guide people to take action?” they reiterated to the students.
Armed with that feedback, student teams began to refine their concepts, continuing research and designing with their audience in mind. Teams also looked at how other organizations successfully implemented evidence-based interventions. Teams considered how these examples could play into their design-thinking and solutions. Teams also had to consider how their awareness campaigns could be scalable to other regions and populations.
Team members conceptualized logos and other graphics that would appeal to their target group. An in-person presentation by a professional designer/illustrator helped the students understand how visual elements can come together for effective imagery, especially choosing colors that are culturally appropriate. Campaign messaging needed to reflect a cultural sensitivity and design the Call to Action in friendly and meaningful terms. Teams created prototypes, renderings and collateral as resource materials to be used by stakeholders and community leaders.
As teams honed their projects, they often shared their experiences with other teams, working and supporting each other to bring ideas in reality.
“It’s really important for a design student to have some kind of professional experience to deal with real world applications. To have the chance to interact with real stakeholders. And this is something we couldn’t really get from other classes. I appreciate the chance to communicate with stakeholders and come up with real world projects.”
— Yi Wang (Interactive Design)
Outcomes
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Preventity
Read moreAndrew Huang, Esther Lee, Sarah Son, Yi Wang, Yang Zhao
Combining prevention with equity, this project imagines a cancer screening drive and workshop taking place at Charles Drew University in Watts, a HBCU. A blueprint of action items combined with a user’s journey diagrams the steps involved in capturing attention, engaging participants and getting them in a screening room. Participants receive a goody bag if they take a simple risk assessment for top mortality cancers for Black populations: breast, prostate and pancreas. Once they get screened, participants write a post card to themselves as a reminder of the next upcoming screening. Also, as a reward for screening, participants receive a passport, a leathered-like textured booklet where they can keep private information about cancer screenings and follow-up appointments.
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Bright Check
Read moreRuoyan Wang, Yuxi Long, Hannan Zhang, Zehui Ni
To encourage the Koreatown 50+ community to get screened, this project establishes a partnership with CVS Pharmacy, a trusted and often-visited destination. The awareness campaign starts with cancer-related posters at the front door. As customers wait in the pharmacy line, they find “flip cards” questions/answers that dispel cancer screening myths. The game can also be accessed via a QR code. Literature at the pharmacy desk announces that if a customer completes a quick pre-screening quiz (age, family history, smoking, etc.), they can receive a free gift. The offer is also announced on the paper prescription bags. Desk literature also displays an education website that offers information about screening and shows an interactive model of the screening process. When customers get screened, they go back to CVS with proof and receive another free gift.
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HTK Healthy Koreatown Project
Read moreJasmine Dixson, Jing Zhang, Wooyull Jung
To assist community leaders/organizations in Koreatown spread the word about cancer screening, this project creates a personal packet of cancer-screening educational materials as well as local incentives. Available in Spanish, Korean and English versions, the packet is distributed at churches, senior centers and Eastern medical clinics. The written resources simply explain the need for screening, the step-by-step process and how some tests can be done at home. On the left side of the folder cover, a series of coupons are presented; when an individual completes a cancer screening, they collect the gift. These coupons are from local businesses like restaurants, nail salons, etc. Coupons have a code so Cedars can collect data on how the packet has influenced users.