Contact:

Kenneth C. Chu, Ph.D.
Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities
Office of the Director, NCI
Telephone: (301) 496-8589
E-mail: kc10d@nih.gov

Objective of Project:

The purpose of the Community Networks is to reduce cancer disparities by conducting community-based education, training, and research among racial minorities (i.e., African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans/Alaska Natives) and underserved populations (i.e., Appalachian, rural, and other underserved populations.) The goals of this program are to significantly improve access to and utilization of beneficial cancer interventions in communities with cancer disparities.

Description of Project:

The Community Networks program will be implemented in three phases: Phase I. The goal of Phase I is to develop and increase capacity building to support community education, research, and training to reduce cancer disparities (years 1-5). Within this phase, objectives of the Community Networks are to: (1) develop a core organizational infrastructure; (2) create partnerships with communities experiencing cancer disparities and organizations that can aid in reducing their cancer disparities; (3) form at least four collaborations with NCI Centers/Divisions/Offices to support other NCI efforts to reduce cancer disparities; (4) increase utilization of beneficial interventions to reduce disparities in the community; and (5) Lleverage Community Networks activities by obtaining non-Community Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) funding for community-based education and training activities directed at reducing cancer disparities.

Phase II. The goal of Phase II is to create community-based participatory research and training programs to reduce cancer disparities (years 2-5). Within Phase II, objectives are to: (1) develop cancer disparities research that focuses on the spectrum of research issues necessary to reduce cancer disparities; (2) train researchers, particularly those from racial/ethnic minority and underserved populations, in community-based intervention research to reduce cancer disparities; (3) develop pilot projects in community-based disparities research.

Phase III. The goal of Phase III is to establish credibility and sustainability of the Community Networks program (years 4-5). Within Phase III, objectives are to: (1) reduce cancer disparities at the local level; (2) obtain funding for research proposals; (3) provide evidence-based information for reducing disparities to decision and policy makers at the local, state, and Federal levels.