In October 2020, the American Cancer Society developed a guide summarizing the impact of the pandemic on cancer care and provided guidance on how public health agencies, health care providers, and screening advocates across the nation could promote and deliver cancer screening appropriately, safely, and equitably throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
One consensus statement from the guide called for the health care community to actively engage persons seeking care in the resumption of cancer screening by using effective and trustworthy messaging and messengers. Further, patients would need to hear clear, culturally competent, coordinated, and reassuring messages on the importance of screening that also reiterated how to safely reengage with the healthcare system for routine cancer screenings.
The 2021 Messaging Guidebook: Effectively Messaging Cancer Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic includes information on both old and new barriers to cancer screening, delivers updated findings on how the pandemic has impacted cancer care, and shares tested messages that will resonate throughout the pandemic. A companion brief and additional communications assets are also included below to support your organization’s return to cancer screening outreach efforts.
2021 Cancer Screening Messaging Guidebook
Cancer Screening Messaging Issue Brief
