Community Engagement Core

摘要-社区参与核心

Abstract – Community Engagement Core Heath Disparities (HD) disproportionately affects racially and ethnically diverse communities and are the result of a complex set of factors that have historical, social, political, and environmental roots. Addressing HD requires meaningful partnerships across stakeholders that operate from community-based and community engagement principles. North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research (RCHDR) includes a Community Engagement Core (CEC) with a goal of strengthening community engagement and building strong partnerships with community stakeholders in underserved, minority communities of North Carolina. During initial funding we were able to establish the CEC as a community-centered and trusted source with several key focus areas. In addition to our community facing efforts and activities, part of the community capacity building focused on researchers where we convened a group committed to thoughtful and ethical research, as seen in our ‘Research with Care’ brand, of ‘TEAM NCCU’. In this competitive renewal, through innovative and culturally appropriate community engagement efforts, the NCCU-CEC will continue to build and support community capacity, establish relationships with community-based organizations, and public health departments, be responsive to health needs, promote culturally competent research, increase research participation, and disseminate findings from RCHDR research projects. Objectives of the CEC include 1) Fostering sustainable community partnerships by creating a community-based network (CBN), 2) Leveraging expertise to support and build capacity for and in our underserved communities, and 3) Establishing a bi- directional Community Research and Translation Hub to disseminate health information and research findings to diverse community stakeholders.