The Virginia Advancing Cancer Control Engaged Research through Transformative Solutions Center

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Abstract

Evaluations of interventions that target the numerous social drivers of health (SDOH) factors experienced by certain communities require multiple methods and lenses grounded in transdisciplinary team science. The Research Methods, Measures, and Data Management (RMMDM) Core for the Virginia Advancing Cancer Control Engaged Research Through Transformative Solutions (VA-ACCERT) Center consists of an interdisciplinary group of quantitative and qualitative researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University and the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University experienced in community-engaged cancer research, with deep knowledge of multi-level, multi-stakeholder data and analysis. These experts will provide both quantitative and qualitative design and analytical services to VA-ACCERT Center investigators, including but not exclusive to data management, best practices for community engagement, measure development, study or methods adaptation, guidance on ethical considerations, and data sharing in support of the planning, completion, and dissemination of results for a signature SDOH Research Project, four Community Responsive Research Projects as well as future Consortium-wide pilots projects. The RMMDM Core, in collaboration with project leads, is ultimately responsible for the quality, validity, and replicability of scientific results. Centralized services will ensure that necessary expertise is available across all projects and permit a cost-effective use of resources via shared use of software and hardware infrastructure. It will also allow individual project activities to build on other efforts, synergistically and adaptively, and provide a central hub for investigators and community partners to access data related to the goal of this Center – to improve dissemination and implementation of health promotion and cancer prevention services to individuals and families living in Virginia’s income-based housing communities. Finally, the RMMDM Core is committed to complementing its service mission with the provision of developing new knowledge for early-career investigators in quantitative and qualitative methods used in community-engaged projects focused on cancer health for all. Both formal (seminars, short courses) and informal (one-on-one consultation) approaches will be used to share best methodological practices