Community Outreach and Engagement

University Of California At Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT (COE) PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSRACT The overall goal of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center's (UCDCCC) Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) efforts is to catalyze, conduct, and lead outreach and engagement for the entire spectrum of cancer research (basic, clinical, translational, and population sciences) that will reduce the cancer burden across the lifespan in the UCDCCC's catchment area and beyond. The Aims that contribute to the fulfillment of this goal include characterizing the cancer burden in the catchment area (Aim 1); mobilizing Cancer Center research to address cancer disparities and the cancer burden in the catchment area (Aim 2); and deploying COE-based assets and policy initiatives to mitigate the cancer burden (Aim 3). The catchment area is comprised of 19 inland northern California counties (23,800 square miles) and is home to 5 million residents, the majority of whom (57%) are racial/ethnic minorities with higher proportions of every racial/ethnic population in the catchment area except African Americans. The leading causes of cancer incidence and mortality in the catchment area are similar to the U.S., but when stratified by race/ethnicity, there are notable differences. Led by the CCSG PI and the Associate Director for Population Sciences and Community Outreach/Engagement, the COE is guided by a highly interactive Community Advisory Board and UCD Faculty Expert Panel. COE activities are implemented by a robust infrastructure of COE faculty leaders and staff. The scope of COE activities ranges from population-specific cancer prevention and control efforts; special emphasis on tobacco control; support for the inclusion of minorities in clinical trials throughout the lifespan; and catalyzing policy change. COE accomplishments include the extensive characterization of the cancer burden through both primary data (mailed, in-person and online) and multiple secondary data sources (Aim 1); harnessing COE- CCSG research program collaborations to address the cancer burden through research (Aim 2); and intervening to decrease tobacco use, increase HPV vaccination rates, eliminate perinatal HBV transmission and to increase cancer awareness and screening. Of note, the Cancer Center/COE convened a local educational roundtable that contributed to the statewide ban on the sale of flavored tobacco. The Cancer Center has also contributed to updated US Preventive Services Task Force cancer screening guidelines for breast, cervical and prostate cancer. The Logic Model used to evaluate COE reflects the trajectory of current progress that would lead to outcomes for the next cycle and beyond, reflecting the aspiration to be a national model for mitigating the cancer burden in a heterogeneous catchment area population.