Active Grants
The Center for Community-Based Research and Health Disparities is supported through research grants from the National Cancer Institute, the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the National Human Genome Research Institute. This research focuses on three converging lines of investigation that have high policy and clinical importance for understanding and eliminating racial health disparities: (1) enhancing participation of minorities in clinical cancer prevention and control research; (2) developing culturally tailored assessments and interventions to improve outcomes in minority health; and (3) developing sustainable infrastructure for cancer prevention and control through community-based participatory research methods.
- African American Breast Cancer Risk Counseling Program
- African American Participation in Cancer Genetics Research
- Community Outreach
- Health Beliefs and Values
- Research on Cancer Survivorship
- Triumphant Living Collaborative (TLC)
- Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Education Trial
- Community-based Cancer Navigation Program
- Participant Registry
African American Breast Cancer Risk Counseling Program
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of enhanced versus standard breast cancer risk counseling on obesity reduction behaviors among African American women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. Participants are women who have a family history of breast cancer in a mother, sister, or daughter. Women who participate in this study receive standard breast cancer risk counseling or risk counseling in addition to education and counseling about nutrition and physical activity. This study is an extension of the With Our Voices Program described in the section on previous or closed studies.
African American Participation in Cancer Genetics Research
The purpose of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators to African American participation in cancer genetics research and to translate this information into a psychometrically sound instrument to evaluate these constructs. Experimental research will also be conducted to identify factors that are predictive of participation intentions in a nationally representative sample of African Americans.
Community Outreach
The Center manages two federally funded cores that are designed to disseminate information about health issues that disproportionately affect African Americans in terms of morbidity and mortality. The Community Outreach and Dissemination Core in the Penn Center for Population Health and Health Disparities was established to develop and evaluate mechanisms for disseminating information about prostate cancer prevention and control to at-risk communities and public health practitioners. Similarly, the Community Liaison Core in the Penn Resource Center on Minority Aging Research was established to disseminate information about minority aging research to African American elders and to establish mechanisms for monitoring recruitment into research on minority aging.
Health Beliefs and Values
The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a multi-dimensional cultural values assessment instrument for cancer prevention and control behaviors among African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians. This mixed methods study involves qualitative research to identify cultural values for cancer prevention and control and a prospective, longitudinal survey to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instrument.
Research on Cancer Survivorship
The Center is conducting research to enhance breast and prostate cancer survivorship among African Americans. The Health Habits and Behaviors Study is an observational study that is evaluating psychological and behavioral reactions to treatment-related side effects among African American women and the Determinants of Ethnic Differences in Quality of Life Study is a community-based longitudinal study that is designed to identify cultural, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to racial disparities in quality of life among African American and Caucasian men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Triumphant Living Collaborative (TLC)
The purpose of this Collaborative is to provide infrastructure for community-based participatory research that is designed to improve health outcomes among African American residents in West and Southwest Philadelphia. As part of this Collaborative, the health priorities and concerns of residents have been identified and this information is now being translated into interventions to address these needs.
Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Education Trial
This trial is currently being conducted through the TLC. The purpose of this program is to evaluate the effects of an integrated risk counseling program on behavioral and psychological outcomes relevant to cancer and cardiovascular disease in African American residents in West and Southwest Philadelphia.
Click here for a printable flyer with additional information (pdf)
Community-based Cancer Navigation Program
This program is also being implemented through the TLC. The purpose of the navigator program is to develop and evaluate a community-based navigator program for cancer care in terms of uptake and subsequent screening behavior for breast, prostate and colon cancers.
Click here for a printable flyer with additional information (pdf)
Participant Registry
The Older Adult Research Connection is a registry, or list of people in the Minority Aging Research Center for Community Health (MARCH) at Penn. This registry is for individuals ages 55 and older who want to participate in research. The purpose of this registry is to develop a resource for recruiting men and women ages 55 and older into research, to find out differences among those who participate and to ultimately aid in the development of programs for older adults.
Click here for a printable flyer with additional information (pdf)
