240741 Development of a community-based participatory colorectal cancer screening intervention addressing disparities: Empowering Communities For Life

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 9:45 AM

Karen Hye-cheon Kim Yeary, PhD , Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Eric Flowers, MS , College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Gemessia Ford, MPH , Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Desiree Burroughs, BS , Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Jackie Burton, BS , Mississippi County Education Opportunity Center, Mississippi County Education Opportunity Center, Blytheville, AR
Delores Woods, BS , East Arkansas Enterprise Community, East Arkansas Enterprise Community, Forrest City, AR
Chara Stewart, MPH, CHES , Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute-Cancer Control, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Paulette Mehta, MD , College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Paul Greene, PhD , College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Ronda Henry-Tillman, MD , Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute-Cancer Control; Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
     
OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death that disproportionately affects the poor and underserved. A community-based participatory approach (CBPR) is a promising approach to prevent colorectal cancer in this population. The collaborative development of a theory-grounded, randomized-controlled trial designed to test two colorectal cancer screening interventions through fecal-occult blood testing (total participant n=1050) is described, with an emphasis on how community and academic partners worked together to design intervention and research components.

METHODS: Empowering Communities for Life (EC4L) takes place in two underserved counties in the Arkansas Lower Mississippi Delta with marked health disparities. The program arose from a 9-year partnership between academics and nine Cancer Councils across Arkansas. Community and academic partners collaborated over 25 months to develop research infrastructure, intervention materials and methods, and the assessment instrument.

RESULTS: Strengthened community-academic partnerships, certification in Human Subjects and HIPPA, development of a randomized controlled design to test the intervention's efficacy, an interactive PowerPoint presentation, an informational pamphlet, the certification of 6 lay health advisors and 22 role models, and an assessment tool are project development outcomes. Additionally, several lessons were learned about working collaboratively with diverse groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Few studies have developed a community-based colorectal cancer prevention intervention for an at-risk population using a participatory approach. EC4L is a useful model for community-based interventions seeking to incorporate sound research methodology and health behavior theory to increase colorectal cancer screening among rural, underserved African Americans and Caucasians in the context of eliminating social disparities in health.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how community and academic partners worked together to develop intervention materials and methods. 2. Describe how community and academic partners worked together to develop an assessment instrument. 3. Name at least 3 strategies when working collaboratively with diverse groups. 4. Discuss the importance of community involvement in research.

Keywords: Cancer Screening, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I have overseen and been part of larger research programs in the areas of cancer prevention in underserved groups, community-based participatory research, and translational research.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: The Scholarship of CBPR
See more of: Community-Based Public Health Caucus