Community Outreach and Engagement

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT ABSTRACT A core mission of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) is to reduce the burden of cancer in its catchment area of Los Angeles County (LAC) and beyond. LAC is the most populous and diverse county in the US, and a signature example of a majority minority community. Over 70% of LAC’s 10.2 million residents are from racial/ethnic minority groups, 45% are immigrants, and 57% speak a language other than English at home. The cancer burden in the county is high, with large differences in cancer risk factors and cancer outcomes by ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic indicators. Given the immense socio-economic and racial/ethnic diversity of the catchment area, the Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) goals are to ensure that the research, outreach and other strategic activities of the JCCC are collectively responsive to the cancer burden and needs of LAC residents, with particular attention to addressing and ameliorating cancer-related disparities. These goals are being advanced through three broad COE specific aims. In Aim 1, the COE monitors the cancer burden and cancer-related needs in LAC. This includes monitoring cancer outcomes such as incidence, mortality, survival, and stage at diagnosis as well as cancer risk factors, cancer screening, preventive vaccine uptake, and receipt of appropriate cancer care. Patterns and trends are examined by race/ethnicity, age, immigrant status, socio-economic characteristics, insurance status, and geographic location. This information is regularly shared with JCCC leaders and members as well as community representatives to inform JCCC research, community engagement, and other strategic initiatives. In Aim 2, the COE promotes JCCC basic, clinical, and population research that spans the continuum from primary prevention through end-of-life and is relevant to the cancer burden and needs of LAC residents. An emphasis is placed on research focused on the most prevalent cancers in LAC as well as cancers that disproportionately affect marginalized groups. The COE promotes the inclusion of diverse populations in all JCCC research and clinical trials. It also prioritizes and supports research beyond the catchment area as well as global cancer research conducted by members. In Aim 3, the COE conducts and supports a wide range of cancer-related outreach and engagement activities throughout LAC and adjacent counties with an emphasis on vulnerable population groups. Activities aim to disseminate basic cancer information and recent scientific advances to diverse county residents through partnerships with numerous community organizations and coalitions. The COE also strives to enhance enrollment of racial/ethnic minority community members in clinical trials. In addition, significant efforts are made to increase the capacity of community organizations to partner in cancer-related research. LAC is the archetypal microcosm of our nation’s increasingly diverse future. This provides the JCCC with an unusual opportunity to play a critical role in shaping our national response to addressing the cancer-related needs of our diverse communities, with lessons that can ultimately help reduce the cancer burden nationally and globally.