Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Cancer Diagnosis and Implementation of a Point-of-Care Diagnostic Device in Malawi: A Qualitative Study Protocol with Patients and Healthcare Workers

Charlotte Russo is a second-year Master of Public Health student in the Global Health concentration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She earned a Bachelor of Science in public health from The University of Texas at Austin. She recently completed her practicum with UNC Project Malawi in Lilongwe, where she worked with Dr. Matthew Painschab to develop a qualitative study protocol examining barriers and facilitators along the diagnostic pathway for cancer patients, as well as the feasibility of implementing a novel point-of-care diagnostic device known as TINY at district hospitals. Prior to beginning her MPH studies, Charlotte worked for three years as an EMR Analyst supporting UT Southwestern’s Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. In this role, she worked closely with various levels of oncology providers and supportive staff to optimize chemotherapy workflows in Epic, supporting cancer treatment and management.