A public meeting focused on cancer rates and outcomes in Jefferson County will be held on Monday, May 11th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Public Library. An online attendance option is also available. Registration is required and can be completed at https://tinyurl.com/jeffersoncoia.
The meeting is part of the Cancer in Iowa: 99 Counties Project, a statewide public health initiative organized by the Iowa Cancer Registry and the University of Iowa College of Public Health in collaboration with the Iowa Cancer Consortium, University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Iowa Rural Health Association. The project aims to bring county-specific cancer data and community engagement to all 99 counties in Iowa.
Representatives from the 99 Counties Project will present the latest cancer data specific to Jefferson County, including rates of new cancers and cancer deaths compared to state and national figures, as well as risk factor data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Time will be set aside for residents to ask questions, voice concerns, and share ideas for improving cancer outcomes in the community.
Guest speaker Whitney Zahnd, PhD, past president of the Iowa Rural Health Association and assistant professor at the University of Iowa Department of Health Management and Policy, will be among those presenting at the meeting. Residents, community leaders, and policymakers are encouraged to attend.
The Iowa Cancer Registry, also known as the State Health Registry of Iowa, has been tracking cancer rates, survival, and deaths among Iowans since 1973 as part of the National Cancer Institute’s SEER Program. The 99 Counties Project draws on resources from partners across the state committed to reducing the impact of cancer in Iowa, including Iowa Health and Human Services, the Iowa Cancer Consortium, the Iowa Cancer Plan, and the Iowa Rural Health Association, among others.
