Administrative Supplements to Cancer Center Support Grants to Strengthen NCI-Supported Community Outreach Capacity Through Community Health Educators of the National Outreach Network (2)

Dana-Farber Cancer Inst, Boston MA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Project Summary The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) has recently launched the Center for Cancer Equity and Engagement (CCEE) as a central part of the DF/HCC mission to ensure our research impacts on our catchment area (MA), and addresses cancer health disparities. Starting with a strategic planning initiative that began in 2018, we identified a series of key priorities in MA. Two of these are improved accrual of minority and underserved patients to clinical trials and increased HPV vaccination. Thus, the goal of this supplement is to facilitate participation of minorities in clinical trials and to implement HPV outreach and vaccination initiative in MA residents, with an emphasis on underserved minority populations. To achieve this goal, we have hired a community health educator (CHE) in the CCEE who will be able to address clinical trial and HPV-related activities to fulfill the mission of the DF/HCC to have impact in our catchment area and address high priority cancer health disparities. First, the CHE will lead initiatives being developed by the DF/HCC Task Force for Minority Accrual to Clinical Trials. These include educational activities for clinicians and staff regarding best practices for minority accrual to clinical trials. These activities will also include developing structures for increased access including patient navigation, transportation, and other current limitations for potentially eligible clinical trial participants. Second, the CHE will engage in HPV-related clinical trials accrual among underserved populations, and to enhance HPV outreach and vaccination initiatives in MA. Our specific aims are: 1) To increase the participation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical trials of HPV and HPV-related cancers, and 2) to implement the HPV outreach and vaccination initiative in MA. These activities will address cancer health disparities related to HPV infection and its health consequences.