Abstract A33: An integrated cancer control initiative for research translation and community engagement

Introduction: Despite Federal legislation and allocated funding to address health disparities, the gaps in cancer disparities are increasing among ethnic minorities. Further, the NCI Cancer Center guidelines emphasize translational research that will advance patient care, interdisciplinary research, clinical trials, cancer prevention and early detection, cancer center collaboration, and population and community-based initiatives. Albeit, cancer center programs addressing health disparities, particularly from a multi-systemic, community participatory framework is in its infancy. The purpose of this presentation is to describe an integrated cancer control initiative for research translation and community engagement. This implementation project adopts and advances the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD)- Community Network Program model into the City of Hope (COH) Cancer Center's health disparities program.

Methods: The Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education (CCARE) was developed in an effort to advance the community and cultural relevance of our cancer control efforts by the inclusion of community based organizations and advocate/leaders. CCARE fosters optimal bi-directional communication between the community members and the scientific community; and the exchange and cross-fertilization of wisdom, knowledge, and skills. The CCARE Model is a multidimensional initiative with three major priorities: 1) Community Prevention: education, screening/early detection and medical follow-up; 2) Research: Therapeutic, non therapeutic and observational, and 3) Training: educating students, researchers, clinicians and 54 American Association for Cancer Research Poster Session A Behavioral and Social Science Community-based Interventions community advocates.

Results: 

1. Community Prevention: The Community Collaborative Annual Screening will report on the evaluations from approximately 200 participants and community cancer education forums from 400 participants.

2. Research: The findings from the community participatory therapeutic and non-therapeutic interventional trials with over 365 participants will be reported; preliminary results for one study suggest improved HRQOL and stress outcomes in African- and Latina-American breast cancer survivors.

3. Training: The progress of the California State University-COH collaborative, our Cancer Center-Minority Serving Institution collaboration (P20) project will be discussed.

Implications: CCARE is a unique opportunity for collaborative projects involving investigators from many disciplines, and an intentional network of community organizations and advocates. This proposed comprehensive, community embedded model may result in improved: 1) community participation and contribution in cancer control initiatives, 2) health outcomes, and 3) cultural diversity and competency of the health-related workforce. Thus, this model champions a practical and comprehensive framework for addressing health disparities within our diverse and medically underserved communities.