COMMUNITY LIAISON CORE

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Despite improvements in the health status of older African Americans and other older minorities, significant disparities remain. To address the healthy disparities in minority populations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Healthy People 2010 initiative has called for the development of innovative strategies for increasing minorities' participation in health promotion and risk reduction activities as well as in health-related research. The impetus to eliminate health disparities has resulted in greater efforts targeted to the recruitment and retention of older persons and minorities into health-related research and health promotion/risk reduction activities. The lack of participation of older minorities in health promotion and risk reduction activities may directly influence their health status. The under representation of older minorities in health-related research not only limits scientific knowledge related to improving the health status of older minorities, but also excludes them from benefits that may be derived from participating in research. In an effort to expand scientific knowledge which may lead to improvements in the health status of older minorities, the MCUAAAR will develop and maintain a collaborative community liaison core (CL) designed to increase the participation of older minorities in health-related research and health promotion and risk reduction activities. The model proposed for increasing the participation of older minorities in psychosocial, clinical and epidemiologic research as well as health promotion and risk reduction activities will be to develop a collaborative partnership between older minorities, health-related community-based organizations and local universities. For the purpose of this proposal, the CL is defined as researchers, health care providers, health care organizations, and older minorities working together to design, implement and manage an action-based plan for increasing older minorities' participation in health-related research, health promotion and risk reduction activities.