Table 2 Patient navigator interventions with a focus on screenings of diseases

Patient navigation interventions in person or via phone focussing on screening uptake (e.g. barrier assessment, appointment scheduling, emotional support, education)

Intervention: Lay persons, peers, professional workers

Comparison:

Not reported

Patients eligible for cancer screening

US, CA, FR

• Improved completion of screening

[12]^a

Patient navigator interventions either as face-to-face, mail or phone interventions (e.g. education or support in identifying barriers, setting up appointments and making reminder calls)

Intervention:

Trained lay-persons or health professionals (e.g. nurse)

Comparison:

Control group without PN or intervention group before intervention

Patients in primary care completing screening for colorectal, cervical and breast cancers and hepatitis B (often vulnerable patients)

BD, CA, US

• Increased probability to attend recommended care events (OR 2.48, 95% CI, 1.27 to 5.10, p = 0.008)

• Increased access to screenings (OR: 2.48, 95% CI, 1.93 to 3.18, p < 0.00001)

[15]

Patient navigator intervention to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in ethnic minority patients (e.g. scheduling appointments, outreach, assistance with transportation, telephone support)

Intervention:

Nurses, lay health educators, lay health workers, NPs, community health aides, physicians

Comparison:

Not reported

Ethnic minority cancer patients

US

• Improved adherence to screening

• Increased screening rates

• Improved completion of screening

[16]^a

Patient navigation in breast cancer care involving non-health professionals (e.g. follow-up to screening and clinical breast abnormalities, education, counselling, referral, translation and scheduling)

Intervention:

Breast cancer survivors, lay community health workers, nurse navigators in cooperation with lay navigators and social workers, lay persons

Comparison:

Professions not defined

Breast cancer patients (66% of sample were non-white women)

CA, US

• Improved adherence to breast screening and diagnostic follow-up (e.g. after abnormal radiographic screening, attending genetic counselling)

• Reduced waiting time for biopsy/diagnostic intervals

• Decreased time to appointment with genetic counsellor

[11]^a

Patient navigator interventions targeting screening and diagnosis of cancer (e.g. partnerships with health and non-healthcare services, education, scheduling, outreach, communication, follow-ups)

Intervention:

Lay health advisors, promotora, case managers, community outreach specialists, lay health educators, lay health worker), partners (e.g. academic researchers, community members, community activists, public health officials)

Comparison:

Not reported

Medically underserved population (incl. Urban cities, rural counties, suburban neighbourhoods, border regions), screenings for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer

US

• Improved completion of diagnostics, especially for patients who missed a follow-up diagnostic appointment

• Improved referral and follow up

• Improved breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening rates for mammography, pap tests, screening with colonoscopy

• Shorter time to diagnosis for abnormal screening results

[29]

Patient navigation included assisting patients in navigating through cancer screening (e.g. setting up appointments and making reminder calls along with providing language services such as interpreting and one-to one educational sessions)

Intervention:

Patient navigators, bilingual staff, health educators, family members, professional interpreters

Comparison:

Not reported

Non-proficient English-speaking population groups in need for cancer care

US

• Significant increased screenings rates for breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer (14/15 studies)

• Breast cancer screening rates increased by 17–25%

• Colorectal screening rates increased by 13–40%

• Cervical cancer screening showed a nearly 60% increase

[30]