The Man Van: A Pilot Study of Using Mobile Targeted Case-Finding to Address Health Inequalities in Prostate Cancer - Beyond the Abstract

The Man Van pilot study presents a novel approach to addressing prostate cancer disparities by offering mobile health services targeting underserved communities, particularly ethnic minorities and men from deprived areas.

The study utilised a combination of geospatial targeting combined with local community-level engagement to increase the participation from the target groups. The study found increased rates of detection of prostate cancer compared with other comparable studies, and specifically high levels of clinically significant disease. The inclusion of other health checks for diabetes and hypertension adds to the overall value of the intervention. In conclusion, the "Man Van" highlights the feasibility of mobile case-finding but underscores the need for optimised recruitment methods, follow-up data, and cost-effectiveness assessments to sustain such programs long term. Further work is being undertaken by the team to address these issues.

Written by: Masood Moghul FRCS (Urol.), Post-CCT Urology Fellow, Department of Urology, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK

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