Professor Diane M. Harper's research profiled by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Study describes why Black women don't return for cervical cancer follow-up appointments, and a potential solution

Professor Diane M. Harper, MD, MPH, MS

Thanks to a $10,000 Physician Investigator Research Award from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Professor Diane M. Harper, MD, MPH, MS, and her research team have not only spent time conducting qualitative interviews to learn more about why Black women -- a patient population 41% more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to non-Hispanic white women -- aren’t returning for crucial follow-up appointments, she’s designing the framework to find a solution.

This includes creating educational materials for patients and physicians that encourage them to incorporate self-screening as the primary method of cancer screening.

Harper's work was featured in a recent story on the BCBSM MIBlueDaily website. To read this story written by Jake Newby, click here.

ALSO READ: Dr. Diane Harper tapped to lead NCI clinical trial site