Community Outreach and Engagement

University Of Rochester, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT: PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Wilmot Cancer Institute (Wilmot) Community Outreach and Engagement Office (COE) was founded in 2017 with the goal of reducing the burden of cancer through powerful community-academic partnerships, bidirectional communication between community members and Wilmot investigators, facilitation of community-engaged and catchment-area-relevant research, and dissemination of cancer control initiatives. Wilmot’s catchment area (CA) includes 27 counties in Central and Western New York (NY); 23 of these counties are not served by any other NCI-designated cancer center. Strikingly, cancer incidence and mortality across the CA has remained higher than New York State (NYS) and national averages for more than 30 years. Using the Cancer Visual Analytic System (CANVAS), a novel data-mapping tool custom-coded by Wilmot’s Informatics team, COE has discovered that this disproportionate burden of cancer is associated with an aging population, high rates of tobacco use, and factors affecting urban and rural communities. To address cancer burden, COE collaborates with a Community Cancer Action Council (CCAC) of 24 community partners, who lead community health improvement projects, guide COE’s pilot funding, and participate in Wilmot committees. COE works with CCAC to develop project- and community-specific Research Action Councils (RACs), composed of community partners who engage in bidirectional communication with investigators about research projects. COE evaluates the impact of its efforts using a comprehensive logic model organized around four aims: 1) Define and monitor the Wilmot CA's cancer burden and community health needs; 2) Mobilize and empower partnerships to impact Wilmot’s strategic planning and cancer center activities; 3) Foster CA-relevant and community-engaged research, as well as participation in clinical trials; and 4) Disseminate evidence-based cancer prevention and control initiatives and inform state and national policy. Since 2020, 30 research projects have benefited from bidirectional communication with RACs. COE has conducted more than 700 community events guided by CANVAS data, community health assessments, and CCAC input, serving over 20,000 CA residents. Since 2018, in collaboration with the NYS Cancer Services Program, COE has facilitated navigation of almost 5,000 people to free cancer screening, and more than 270 adults have benefited from Wilmot’s Tobacco Cessation Program. In collaboration with CCAC and Wilmot leadership, future plans include new initiatives with the Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Office; expanding the CANVAS tool with community and environmental exposure data; aligning Wilmot’s research to become increasingly responsive to priority cancer groups and communities; and enhancing patient navigation services to ensure all CA residents can access high-quality cancer care.