Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center

The Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center (RGV-CHDRC) Community Engagement Core (CEC) is a comprehensive outreach, engagement, education, and patient navigation effort designed to identify community health-related needs and priorities, promote participation in research, promote recruitment and

retention of study participants, support patients in the navigation of treatment, educate communities leading to better health outcomes, and promote the translation of research findings to eliminate or reduce health disparities among several National Institutes of Health (NIH) priority. The CEC will leverage a culturally competent

leadership team with sustained efforts in relationship and capacity building in the region to conduct community engaged research. Building upon a strong, existing community engagement foundation through the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and their Community Advisory Boards, the RGV-CHDRC will further develop long-

term relationships with community based organizations within priority communities, build necessary trust to engage diverse populations in research, disseminate research results in an understandable way, provide investigator, trainee and community education, and develop cross-sector referral networks to provide effective

patient navigation to appropriate resources when needed through outreach activities involving cancer screening. To develop these cross-sector networks, the CEC will collaborate with intradisciplinary teams consisting of community leaders, researchers, academic institutions, non-profits, industry, and others to ensure resources and

support are available when needed. The CEC will also collaborate with the core leaders and other scholars to ensure the success of research projects that involve the recruitment and retention of priority populations though sharing culturally informed, evidence-based best practices. The overall goal of the CEC is to establish and build research capacity by ensuring the participation and retention

of priority populations in research projects, growing long-term, sustainable relationships with community members and community-based organizations that will partner with the Center in conducting relevant pilot studies and community engaged research projects, and disseminating and translating research findings to

inform policy or policy change, scientific knowledge and practice, and prevention and education outreach to reduce health disparities in Hispanic/Latino, underserved rural and lower SES communities. The CEC leadership will collaborate with the PIs, core leaders, researchers, and others to 1) build a network of

community partnerships and relationships to ensure long-term resources and care for the communities of the RGV; 2) and effective methods to disseminate results; 3) provide coordination and support for patients after a positive diagnosis to ensure follow-up treatment and care as well as connect resources for financial assistance

for the uninsured; 4) prepare visuals, health care devices, and screening opportunities to incentive and educate community members on proper testing, care, and achievement of long-term health goals.