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Session: Community-Based Participatory Approaches to Genetics Education in Underserved Communities
4122.0: Tuesday, November 9, 2004: 12:30 PM-2:00 PM
Oral
Community-Based Participatory Approaches to Genetics Education in Underserved Communities
In 2000, Genetics Services Branch of MCHB of HRSA funded the Genetics Education Needs Evaluation (GENE) Project to investigate and improve consumer access to culturally- and linguistically- appropriate genetics information, resources and services in order to assist underserved populations in making informed decisions about their health. A major focus of this 5-year cooperative agreement, managed by the March of Dimes, is to support the development of community-level demonstration projects that will identify and address local genetics-related information and service needs, using a community-based participatory approach. This session highlights the experiences of two communities that have had extensive experience and success in coalition-building and community action: Flint and Lansing, MI, and Washington Heights and Inwood, NY. In both cases, participatory approaches are being utilized to engage community stakeholders in assessing their community's needs and assets around genetics education; evaluating and synthesizing their respective experiences in order to develop responsive community-based action plans, educational messages and strategies; and then sharing this information in effort to increase community awareness. Community-based participatory action (CBPA) research seeks to involve community representatives in all stages of the process. While this approach is recognized as an effective model of identifying needs and engaging communities, it has not been utilized specifically to address genetics education. The GENE Project is unique in that it explores partnerships at both community and national levels. The goal of this panel is to highlight the GENE Community Projects as well as the processes of CBPA that have facilitated the participation of community and national stakeholders.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be informed of: 1) community-based participatory action strategies utilized in engaging GENE Project and community stakeholders; 2) learn about participatory approaches utilized by each community in identifying community needs and assets; 3) identify the genetics education needs and interests of these two communities, how they were effective in increasing community awareness of these issues, and the development of their respective community-based action plans; 4) identify key strategies and processes for participatory evaluation at national and community levels.
Organizer(s):EmyLou Solomon
12:30 PMCommunity-Based Participatory Action Research and Approaches: The Genetics Education Needs Evaluation (GENE) Project  [ Recorded presentation ]
Aida L. Giachello, PhD, Fredericka Wolman, MD, MPH, EmyLou Solomon
12:45 PMCommunity-based Participatory Approaches: The Experience of Washington Heights/Inwood Genetics Education Needs Evaluation (GENE) Coalition  [ Recorded presentation ]
Maria R. Zoquier, BS, Aida L. Giachello, PhD, Rosita M. Romero, MSW, Nicole Hollingsworth, EdD, Jesus A Sanchez, MS, UP, CCNA, EmyLou Solomon, Fredericka Wolman, MD, MPH
1:00 PMMichigan GENE Demonstration Project: What do African Americans want to know about genetics?  [ Recorded presentation ]
Othelia W. Pryor, PhD, Rosalyn Y Beene-Harris, MPH
1:15 PMNational Partnerships: A unique aspect of the Genetics Education and Needs Evaluation (GENE) Project  [ Recorded presentation ]
Fredericka Wolman, MD, MPH, Michele Puryear, MD, PhD, Penny Kyler, MA, OTR, Roxane M. Brown, Susan A. Ghanbarpour, MA, Jennifer Cernoch, PhD, Aida L. Giachello, PhD, EmyLou Solomon
1:30 PMParticipatory evaluation of the GENE Project: Processes and results  [ Recorded presentation ]
Teresa Doksum, PhD, MPH, Susan Foster, MSSW, MPH, Turahn Dorsey, BA, Gabriela García, MS, MA, Susanna Ginsburg, MSW
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement and author's information.
Organized by:Community Health Planning and Policy Development
Endorsed by:Community-Based Public Health Caucus; Public Health Education and Health Promotion
CE Credits:CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA