National Cancer Institute's Community Network Programs' strategies for reducing cancer health disparities among Native Americans

The National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) Community Networks Program (CNP) aims to reduce cancer health disparities by: 1) increasing access to and utilization of beneficial cancer interventions in communities affected by disparities, and 2) providing a cadre of well-trained researchers who will continue to reduce disparities in their communities. In 2004, 25 programs were awarded grants to serve underserved populations such as racial/ethnic minorities and low-income rural residents.

Sources such as NCI's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) present data demonstrating that Alaska Natives or Native Americans have the highest incidence and/or mortality rates of some types of cancer. NCI responded by making reduction in these disparities a top priority. As part of the effort, CRCHD instructed the CNP independent evaluator to conduct a cross-site study of:

• cancer disparity issues typically confronting Native American communities

• strategies used by CNPs to overcome these disparities

• how CNP staff perceive community response to CNP strategies.

Data will be collected from the four CNPs designed to meet the specific needs of Native Americans as well as other CNP that serve multiple racial/ethnic groups and offer activities specifically geared toward Native Americans. Grantees submit data on their community partnerships, education, training, and research activities to a central database. CRCHD's contracted independent evaluation team will analyze these data and data from other sources such as site visit reports and annual reports.