Search

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) can be effective partners in the implementation of health interventions to reach underserved audiences. However, little is known about the capacity they have or need to engage in these efforts. We examined inner-setting organizational characteristics hypothesized to be important for program implementation by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). This cross-sectional study involved 34 churches with predominantly Latino congregations in Massachusetts. FBO leaders completed a survey assessing inner-setting CFIR organizational characteristics, including organizational readiness, implementation climate, organizational culture, and innovation “fit” with organizational mission. There was limited variability in CFIR organizational characteristics, with scores on a scale from 1 to 5 skewed toward higher values, ranging from 3.27 (SD 0.94) for implementation climate to 4.58 (SD 0.54). Twenty-one percent of the FBOs had offered health programs in the prior year. FBOs had high scores on most of the organizational factors hypothesized to be important for the implementation of health programs, although relatively few FBOs offered them. While this suggests that FBOs have favorable characteristics for health programming, prospective studies are needed to understand relative salience of inner-setting organizational characteristics versus factors external to the organization (e.g., policies, incentives), as well as the potential direction of relationships between internal organizational characteristics and health program offerings.

available at publisher's web site.

The pilot study reported in this article culturally and linguistically adapted an educational intervention to promote cancer clinical trials (CCTs) participation among Latinas/os and African Americans. The single-session slide presentation with embedded videos, originally developed through a campus-community partnership in Southern California, was chosen for adaptation because it was perceived to fit the CORRECT model of innovation (credible, observable, relevant, relatively advantageous, easy to understand, compatible, and testable) and because of the potential to customize any components not identified as core, allowing them to be revised for cultural and linguistic alignment in New York City. Most of the 143 community participants (76.2%) were female; most (54.6%) were older than 59 years. More than half (78.3%) preferred to speak English or were bilingual in English and Spanish. A large proportion (41.3%) had not completed high school. Knowledge and perceived benefits and barriers regarding CCT showed small, though statistically significant, increases. There were no statistically significant group differences for changes in mean knowledge, perceived benefits, or perceived barriers when examined by ethnicity, education level, language, or other included sociodemographic variables. However, a small, but statistically significant difference in perceived barriers was observed when examined by country of origin, with the foreign born score worsening 0.08 points (SD = 0.47, p = .007) on the 5-point Likert-type scale administered posteducation compared to preeducation. Participants' open-ended comments demonstrated the acceptability of the topic and intervention. This adaptation resulted in an intervention with the potential to educate African American and Latina/o general community members in a new geographic region about the purpose, methods, and benefits of CCTs.

The pilot study reported in this article culturally and linguistically adapted an educational intervention to promote cancer clinical trials (CCTs) participation among Latinas/os and African Americans. The single-session slide presentation with embedded videos, originally developed through a campus-community partnership in Southern California, was chosen for adaptation because it was perceived to fit the CORRECT model of innovation (credible, observable, relevant, relatively advantageous, easy to understand, compatible, and testable) and because of the potential to customize any components not identified as core, allowing them to be revised for cultural and linguistic alignment in New York City. Most of the 143 community participants (76.2%) were female; most (54.6%) were older than 59 years. More than half (78.3%) preferred to speak English or were bilingual in English and Spanish. A large proportion (41.3%) had not completed high school. Knowledge and perceived benefits and barriers regarding CCT showed small, though statistically significant, increases. There were no statistically significant group differences for changes in mean knowledge, perceived benefits, or perceived barriers when examined by ethnicity, education level, language, or other included sociodemographic variables. However, a small, but statistically significant difference in perceived barriers was observed when examined by country of origin, with the foreign born score worsening 0.08 points (SD = 0.47, p = .007) on the 5-point Likert-type scale administered posteducation compared to preeducation. Participants' open-ended comments demonstrated the acceptability of the topic and intervention. This adaptation resulted in an intervention with the potential to educate African American and Latina/o general community members in a new geographic region about the purpose, methods, and benefits of CCTs.

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among Latinas in the United States and the leading cause of cancer-related death among this population. Latinas tend to be diagnosed at a later stage and have worse prognostic features than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Genetic and genomic factors may contribute to observed breast cancer health disparities in Latinas.MethodsWe provide a landscape of our current understanding and the existing gaps that need to be filled across the cancer prevention and control continuum.ResultsWe summarize available data on mutations in high and moderate penetrance genes for inherited risk of breast cancer and the associated literature on disparities in awareness of and uptake of genetic counseling and testing in Latina populations. We also discuss common genetic polymorphisms and risk of breast cancer in Latinas. In the treatment setting, we examine tumor genomics and pharmacogenomics in Latina patients with breast cancer.ConclusionsAs the US population continues to diversify, extending genetic and genomic research into this underserved and understudied population is critical. By understanding the risk of breast cancer among ethnically diverse populations, we will be better positioned to make treatment advancements for earlier stages of cancer, identify more effective and ideally less toxic treatment regimens, and increase rates of survival.

The Behavioral Center has three primary Objectives: 1) To support an integrated, interdisciplinary Program of Research consisting of three synergistic Research Projects each of which addresses an important issue in breast cancer genetic research with African American women that entails critical psychological or behavioral issues. Thus, our first purpose is to do outstanding research, with implications for our understanding of the etiology of breast cancer, as well as for our understanding of behavior per se. 2) To encourage the development of truly interdisciplinary thinking among the faculty involved in the Program of Research that can serve as a model for other institutions. Thus, our second purpose is to show by example, not only the utility of an interdisciplinary approach (synergy with Objective 1), but one approach that may facilitate its achievement - working together on an integrated project that addresses important issues of interest to all members of the research team. We propose to bridge the gap between biobehavioral research and epidemiologic approaches. 3) To facilitate the development of truly interdisciplinary perspectives among new investigators in breast cancer research. Thus, our third purpose is to provide both interdisciplinary training through both didactic and Ahands-on@ (synergy with Objective 1) research, as well as informal seminars (synergy with Objective 2) to outstanding young investigators likely to represent the future of the field.

The central goal of the Breast Cancer Behavioral Center is to further our understanding of the impact of biobehavioral factors on genetic aspects of breast cancer in African American women. The Center has three aims: 1) To support an integrated, interdisciplinary, Program of Research consisting of three synergistic Research Projects (with 4 supporting Cores), each of which addresses an important cancer topic and includes psychological and/or behavioral issues. Thus, we propose research projects with implications for breast cancer etiology, behavioral issues, and their interaction; 2) To encourage the development of interdisciplinary thinking among the faculty involved in the Program of Research that can serve as a model for other institutions. Thus, we propose to demonstrate, by example, the utility of an interdisciplinary approach by working together on an integrated project that addresses important issues of interest to all members of the research team. We propose to bridge the gap between biobehavioral research and epidemiologic approaches. 3) To facilitate the development of truly interdisciplinary perspectives among new investigators in breast cancer research. Thus, we propose to provide interdisciplinary training through both didactic and "hands-on" research, as well as informal seminars to outstanding young investigators who represent the future of the field., The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.

The central goal of the Breast Cancer Behavioral Center is to further our understanding of the impact of biobehavioral factors on genetic aspects of breast cancer in African American women. The Center has three aims: 1) To support an integrated, interdisciplinary, Program of Research consisting of three synergistic Research Projects (with 4 supporting Cores), each of which addresses an important cancer topic and includes psychological and/or behavioral issues. Thus, we propose research projects with implications for breast cancer etiology, behavioral issues, and their interaction; 2) To encourage the development of interdisciplinary thinking among the faculty involved in the Program of Research that can serve as a model for other institutions. Thus, we propose to demonstrate, by example, the utility of an interdisciplinary approach by working together on an integrated project that addresses important issues of interest to all members of the research team. We propose to bridge the gap between biobehavioral research and epidemiologic approaches. 3) To facilitate the development of truly interdisciplinary perspectives among new investigators in breast cancer research. Thus, we propose to provide interdisciplinary training through both didactic and "hands-on" research, as well as informal seminars to outstanding young investigators who represent the future of the field., The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.