LI Course
CE Hours: 3 contact hours

Partnership: National Cancer Institute-Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities

Statement of Purpose and Institute Overview: NOTE: COURSE ENDS AT 5:00 P.M. (not 6:50 P.M.) The purpose of this course is to help participants in developing or sharpening skills needed for establishing community collaborations for conducting community-driven research. Without an understanding of the collaborative process, researchers employing this method will have limited success, fragmented outcomes and unsuccessful community engagement. On the other hand, through successful engagement, a comprehensive response determining health priorities and implementation of appropriate outreach programs can be developed, implemented and evaluated. The community-based participatory research approach or CBPR, with principles of sharing resources, credit and responsibility, is a culturally-specific method for enhancing the community’s involvement in impacting health outcomes, more specifically, cancer disparities. Cancer disparities are defined as differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of cancer and related adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States. The Community Networks Program (CNP), instituted by the National Cancer Institute in 2005, established partnerships among racial/ethnic minorities and underserved populations to conduct CBPR. The overall goal of the program is to significantly improve access to - and utilization of - beneficial cancer interventions and treatments in communities experiencing cancer disparities in order to reduce these disparities. Based on fundamental characteristics identified by Lewin, Freire and Israel, our utilization of CBPR begins with and is centered on the collaborative process and action for social change to improve community education, screening and treatment for cancer. To this end, each of the CNP investigators, including those working with immigrant communities (African American, Asian, Hispanic/Latinos and Pacific Islanders), experts in the CBPR process, are currently conducting cutting edge research and developing exceptional public health practices in partnership with communities experiencing cancer disparities. However, in spite of growing interest in CBPR, cancer disparities and collaborative research, there are few opportunities for training in this area. This Institute provides a unique opportunity for cancer researchers, the public health workforce and APHA registrants to gain or enhance skills in cancer disparities, CBPR, community partnerships and action research through lectures, small group discussions, and panel presentations. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 1) identify population-specific cancer disparities 2) define the basic principles of CBPR 3) discuss the essential elements of community partnerships and 4) recognize essential elements of community-based action research. Researchers interested in Clinical Translational Science Awards may benefit from the approaches to community engagement the panelists in this course offer.

Session Objectives: Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 1. Apply CBPR principles to conducting research with specific ethnic minority populations. 2. Identify population-specific cancer disparities. 3. Define the basic principles of CBPR. 4. Discuss the essential elements of community partnerships. 5. Recognize essential elements of community-based action research.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing