The Caribbean Climate Change Adaptation, Cancer, and Health Disparities Research Center

Project Summary Overall Component Climate change is a threat to human health which impacts each step of the cancer control continuum. Frequent extreme weather events in the US Caribbean (Puerto Rico [PR] and US Virgin Islands) have highlighted the interdependencies of their critical infrastructure systems, and how their disruption leads to catastrophic failures

in social and economic ecosystems, with fatal and long-lasting consequences. These US Territories where cancer is among the leading causes of death, have suffered major disruptions in cancer prevention and screening programs, and delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment as a result of extreme weather events. Preventing

cancer risk and sustaining infrastructure for cancer control after these events are priorities. The Caribbean Climate Change, Cancer, and Health Disparities Research Center (CCCARIB-CARES) will address these issues. A partnership between the University of PR Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University of PR-Medical

Sciences Campus, and the University of the Virgin Islands, alongside government agencies, and non- governmental organizations based in the US Caribbean region and the continental US, will work collaboratively to assess the impact of multi-hazard climate change-related stressors on the cancer control continuum across

these populations. The main goal of CCCARIB-CARES is to increase and support the research and governance capacity of underserved and underrepresented minorities with respect to climate change and health. Using a human-centered design, the specific aims of CCCARB-CARES are: 1) To form a regional knowledge-action

network of researchers, physicians, stakeholders and community residents, public and private institutions working on the cancer continuum that can evaluate needs, provide technical-scientific expertise, facilitate communication, and build cross-regional connections and capacity on climate change, environmental pollution

and cancer risk, prevention and control, as well as health disparities in the Caribbean region; 2) Increase the number of students and researchers from the Caribbean region conducting research on the impact of climate change and pollution on cancer prevention and control and health disparities, with the intent to mitigate the

burden of environmental stressors on human health and health disparities among underrepresented minorities and underserved communities in the region; 3) Establish a Community Coalition of Partners to develop and strengthen sustainable strategic collaborations with stakeholders, community-partners, academic, nonprofit and

government-based organizations to promote scientific and community-focused activities aimed at reducing the impact of climate change and pollution on cancer prevention and control and health disparities among vulnerable and underserved populations; and 4) Provide capacity-building activities for community members, students and

faculty in climate change and health, to strengthen community and academic infrastructure and capacity through outreach, interventions and research. CCCARIB-CARES includes multi-centric and integrated Administrative and Community Engagement Cores and a mixed-methods research project to guide the proposed efforts.