Residents of the central highlands of Appalachia have disproportionately high rates of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and illness. In an attempt to find sustainable approaches to reducing the heavy burden of cancer in Appalachia, the NCI-funded Central Highlands Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer (CHALIC), tested culturally competent approaches to strengthen the region's capacity to prevent and control cancer. Outcomes from intervention and control counties indicated that internal and external resources were used more effectively when the community expertise of local residents was combined with the public health expertise of university-based researchers in local, state, and regional coalitions. Furthermore, analysis indicates that breast and cervix cancers among women living in intervention counties are being diagnosed at an earlier stage than among women living in control counties. In counties using a community development approach to cancer control, increased capacity to address health disparities appears to be both sustainable and transferrable. Findings and implications for public health practice and research will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 1. evaluate community development frameworks for reducing health disparities, 2. discuss culturally competent approaches to cancer control research in Appalachia, and 3. identify potential community partners for public health/nursing research
Keywords: Community Building, Community Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.