# Designing implementation strategies for introducing screening clinical breast examination to primary health centers in Johannesburg, South Africa

> **NIH NIH K08** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $287,219

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The primary goal of this research proposal is to provide Dr. O’Neil with
four years of training and research experience in implementation science and mixed-methods research
techniques to support his transition to being an independent researcher focused on improving the early
detection of breast cancer and breast cancer care more broadly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Breast care patients from LMICs face far higher mortality that patients from the USA, in part because a lack of
screening mammography results in more than 50% being diagnosed with stage III or IV cancer. Breast cancer
screening using clinical breast exam has been shown it to be nearly as effective at detecting early BC as
mammography and capable of decreasing BC stage at diagnosis and mortality. However, screening CBE
(sCBE) has not been widely implemented in LMICs, including South Africa. Dr. O’Neil proposes to use the
Implementation Mapping process to collaboratively design and pilot a set of strategies for implementing sCBE
in the primary health centers (PHCs) of Soweto, South Africa. In Aim 1, he will engage with provider and
patient stakeholders at four participating PHCs to conduct a baseline needs assessment, identify determinants
of implementation with change objectives, select applicable strategies, and then produce implementation
materials. Determinant and strategy selection will be organized using the COM-B and behavioral wheel of
change frameworks. In Aim 2, Dr. O’Neil will conduct a feasibility pilot study of sCBE implementation in the
same four PHCs, using the strategies developed in Aim 1. This study will allow for refinement of the strategies,
and the primary outcome will compare receipt of sCBE among eligible women before and after implementation.
These results and other secondary results from the RE-AIM framework will provide preliminary data supporting
an R01 proposal for a large-scale hybrid trial measuring the effectiveness and implementation success of the
sCBE implementation package developed here. Dr. O’Neil has substantial experience studying breast cancer
care quality and barriers to care in sub-Saharan Africa. His training plan adds to that foundation by
emphasizing new skills essential to actually improving care, with formal instruction in the theories and methods
of implementation science and mixed-methods research. His mentoring team includes experts in breast cancer
clinical research, implementation science, and global oncology, who are uniquely qualified to supervise Dr.
O’Neil’s research program and to help him expand his academic global oncology network. Dr. O’Neil will also
be leveraging his longstanding and productive partnership with breast cancer researchers at the University of
Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who will be enthusiastic collaborators in the proposed work and provide vital
support. This work will the first step towards scaling-up and studying breast cancer screening throughout South
Africa and...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10808285
- **Project number:** 1K08CA279913-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel S O'Neil
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $287,219
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10808285

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10808285, Designing implementation strategies for introducing screening clinical breast examination to primary health centers in Johannesburg, South Africa (1K08CA279913-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10808285. Licensed CC0.

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