(A110) Community Health Screening Events in Otolaryngology: A Review of the Literature

Introduction: Community health screening events demonstrate a great public health benefit by providing free preventive medical services to underserved communities and promoting health literacy. The published literature lacks a systematic review that describes the focus and outcomes of screening events within Otolaryngology. The purpose of this review includes: i) examine the current landscape of Otolaryngology-specific health screenings occurring within the United States ii) synthesize screening outcomes iii) aid in the design of future health screenings by highlighting key outcomes and engagement strategies.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and CINAHL electronic databases. Studies had to meet the following inclusion criteria to be included: report a health screening event relevant to Otolaryngology care, must be at no cost to the participant, screening events must take place within the United States. Information retrieved from the manuscripts included the type and volume of Otolaryngology screening services offered, screening findings, geographic distribution, and strategies of community engagement such as advertisement methods.

Results: Of the 13 manuscripts included, 11 were on head and neck cancer (HNC) screenings (85%), 1 was on vocal health screening (7.5%), and 1 was on hearing loss screening (7.5%). Only 2 out of the 260 total screening events targeted rural communities. Advertisement via fliers was superior to social media in recruiting underserved community members. Screenings at academic clinics resulted in low diversity amongst attendees. Abnormal HNC screenings ranged from 9% to 23.5% and HNC diagnosis ranged from 0% to 4.9%. Minimal patient follow-up reported.

Conclusions: There is a lack of community health screening events outside of head and neck cancer - particularly in rural areas. Advertisement method and site location are important variables to consider when planning as they can impact the demographic makeup of participants. Implementation of a protocol to follow up with patients who have positive findings could result in a more accurate diagnosis rate.