Community Outreach and Engagement

University Of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: COMMNUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Nebraska.1 The Buffett Cancer Center (BCC) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) strives to ease the cancer burden and address cancer disparities through bidirectional academic and community partnerships. UNMC's statewide educational and clinical presence has served all Nebraskans across its spectrum of rural, urban, and racial/ethnic demographics. Capitalizing on UNMC's momentum and building on long-term partnerships across the state, the BCC established a Community Outreach and Engagement Office (COEO). The COEO provides infrastructure to stoke existing relationships and forge new activities with stakeholders across the catchment area, which is defined as the state of Nebraska. The state's population of 1.9 million people live in 93 counties that span 77,000 square miles.2 Of these, 7 are urban, 52 are rural, and 34 are frontier (having fewer than 7 residents per square mile) counties.3 The diverse racial, ethnic, and rural vs. urban populations in Nebraska have distinct needs related to cancer incidence and mortality, and each community faces different barriers to cancer screening, prevention, and treatment. The COEO helps integrate BCC's research and healthcare enterprise with catchment area stakeholders through bidirectional community engagement activities, encompassing needs assessment, ongoing measurement, and creation of avenues for mutual access. The COEO works with external groups, including the CDC-funded Nebraska Comprehensive Cancer Control Program and the statewide Nebraska Cancer Coalition, to align and prioritize strategies and approaches to address state-level needs. External (21 members) and Internal (9 members) Advisory Boards provide ongoing input and support to engagement efforts, educational activities, government relations, and policy recommendations. The COEO's internal partners include UNMC's Rural Health Initiative, Office of Community Engagement, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Office of Public Health Practice, and UNMC patient navigators who play key roles in community outreach, engagement, and recruitment for cancer trials among underserved communities. Future plans will expand efforts through these aims: (1) understand, measure, and monitor the cancer incidence, mortality, determinants, community needs, and disparities in Nebraska over time; (2) facilitate and enable the conduct of research directly relevant to the needs in Nebraska and improve access to clinical trials across the state; (3) engage Nebraskans and implement evidence-based actions that can reduce the burden of risk factors and cancers at a population level; and (4) promote translation of BCC research with support from strong community partnerships to inform state cancer policies. The COEO facilitates the integrated and ongoing bidirectional community input to develop and implement cancer research and healthcare of particular relevance to the state and works with community partners to engage diverse populations across Nebraska in the research and clinical trials conducted by the BCC to ensure that the people of its catchment area are served.