Open Doors to Health

Open Doors to Health (ODH) focuses on colorectal cancer prevention among residents of low-income housing sites. The program helps individuals decrease their risk of colorectal cancer through healthy lifestyle choices and removes barriers to getting screened by colonoscopy. ODH provides information about screening to individuals and offers them expedited access to appointments at local hospitals for colonoscopy procedures, and recommends regular exercise and folic acid supplementation for prevention. At select housing sites, 2-3 trained peer leaders helped to communicate these messages to other residents, utilizing methods such as community events (e.g. "screening bingo", dance event, health fair), discussion groups, poster campaigns, resource boards, phone and in-person contact, and organized group physical activities.

Open Doors to Health is funded by the National Cancer Institute and support to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute by Liberty Mutual, National Grid, and the Patterson Fellowship Fund.

Open Doors to Health promotes colon cancer screening and improves access to screening centers by helping people overcome common barriers to these services.

This program is currently being evaluated for effectiveness. At baseline, 67% of participants self-reported screening for colorectal cancer. Program administrators report that the peer leaders have had a very positive influence in their communities.