Community Outreach and Engagement (COE)

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT: ABSTRACT The University of Arizona Cancer Center’s (UACC) rural and urban Catchment Area reaches the US-Mexico border and spans five Southern Arizona counties (Cochise, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma) comprising more than 1.8M residents, of which 39% are Hispanic and 2.5% American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN)— populations with high cancer burden and disparities. The goal of the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is to serve as a critical bridge linking the UACC’s diverse Catchment population to the scientific community to enhance participation in research, clinical trials, and clinical care and decrease cancer burden. Formalized at UACC for 3 years under the leadership of Jennifer Hatcher, RN, MPH, PhD, COE is driven by a team of multicultural, bilingual members representative of Arizona’s diverse population. The team is advised by a diverse set of external stakeholders and community members who comprise the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and internal stakeholders who comprise an Internal Advisory Committee (IAC). The Specific Aims of COE are to: (1) Characterize and monitor cancer burden and cancer-related needs within the UACC Catchment Area; (2) Facilitate impactful research and clinical trials focusing on UACC priority cancers in alignment with the Strategic Plan; (3) Lead community outreach that synergizes institutional and community efforts to reduce Catchment cancer health disparities; and (4) Promote policy recommendations focusing on reduction of cancer disparities and cancer burden in Arizona and beyond. COE facilitates UACC efforts to effectively address the specific cancer burden of the Catchment population, including priority cancers (lung, breast, gastrointestinal [GI], genitourinary [GU], and melanoma); low cancer screening rates among Hispanics and AI/ANs; and challenges to treatment access, including in rural and frontier areas. Disparities are addressed through a combination of Catchment-wide partnerships; targeted community-based education and outreach guided by an active CAB; and support for impactful, cutting-edge, innovative research. Efforts are evaluated using a comprehensive logic model that demonstrates the impact and interconnectedness of COE activities across the institution and community. COE efforts have included completion of a granular characterization of the Catchment Area to support the selection of high priority cancers and establishment of a formal partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services. Impact of efforts includes increased knowledge regarding Catchment-relevant cancers, grant submissions focused on Catchment-relevant cancers and populations, Catchment-relevant programming and outreach, and connections for Catchment residents to research and clinical services. Future directions include partnering with UACC’s AD of Population Health Sciences to conduct a population health assessment further characterizing the cancer burden/priorities of the Catchment Area and building a culturally responsive tool kit to enhance recruitment of underrepresented minorities in clinical trials.