Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS) is a 2025-2026 Systems Change in Inclusive Health Subgrant recipient.
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) generally face unique systemic barriers to colon cancer screenings, which contributes to lower screening completion rates (35-42% lower odds of colon cancer screening compared with people without intellectual disabilities) and higher cancer-related mortality rates compared to adults without IDD. MASS produced a plain language video series that aims to promote early detection of colon cancer and makes the screening process understandable for individuals with IDD. The series was co-developed by and features self-advocates with IDD, known as the “Peer Screening Squad” in this project. The videos explain the screening process, emphasize the importance of early detection through the personal experiences of individuals with IDD, and outline what to expect when requesting, preparing for, and completing a screening. MASS also developed a companion toolkit and central online hub with more information and resources on the screening process for healthcare providers, caregivers, and people with IDD to access. This project helps address a gap in preventive health information, which is often not designed for different learning styles, and created an opportunity for MASS to continue developing accessible, peer-led preventive health resources on other health topics in the future.
