TU Co-Leader: Vivian Carter, PhD
UAB Co-Leader: Yu-Mei Schoenberger, MD, MPH
All three COPs (UAB, MSM, and TU) are based on the deployment of community health advisors (CHAs), and their principles of prevention are consistent. Nevertheless, each institution has established its own priorities and directions based upon the unique needs of its communities.
- MSM developed and implemented a community-based colorectal cancer education program entitled, "Educational Program to Increased Colorectal Cancer Screening" (EPICS) through the Fulton County Health Department to 554 persons, with over 37% receiving screening 3 months after the intervention. Using an ARRA award, MSM hired a full-time community health educator and secured half-time of another educator. Additionally, they negotiated a contract with the Georgia Division of Public Health to train facilitators statewide in the EPICS colorectal cancer screening intervention.
- TU developed the Healthy Lifestyle Program partnering with CHAs to design and promote a cancer prevention program that increased public awareness of the need for behavior changes in nutrition and physical activity as a means of reducing cancer risk. The CHAs held the second annual Healthy Lifestyle Marathon, which was co-sponsored by the City of Tuskegee.
- UAB developed and implemented a patient navigator demonstration project entitled, "Increasing Minority Participation in Clinical Trials" (IMPaCT). UAB identified and trained two CHAs as patient navigators and developed a training curriculum with two modules: a) information about clinical trials, phases of trials, and barriers encountered by minority cancer patients participating in trials; and b) practical skills, including roleplaying activities to prepare the CHAs to serve as patient navigators. After implementation of the project, enrollment of African Americans in clinical trials at the O' Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB increased from 11% to 22%.