DP24-004, PRC Core: Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (MSM PRC): Advancing Health Equity and Justice Through Community Powered Implementation Science

Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (MSM PRC): Advancing Health Equity and Justice Through Community Powered Implementation Science PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (MSM PRC) proposes to conduct interdisciplinary community-based prevention research in African American, Latinx and other minority communities of color in the greater Atlanta region; train minority community- based researchers and public health practitioners; and demonstrate the value of community coalitions in conducting research. The goal of the MSM PRC is to address social determinants of health (SDOH) by implementing community-engaged, evidence-based strategies in response to obstinate and emerging health disparities/inequities, thereby advancing applied public health prevention, health equity, and justice in the State of Georgia. MSM PRC has a long and successful record of conducting research and outreach efforts to address health equity, alleviate racial and ethnic health disparities, and identify and assess the impacts of minority populations. It is well-positioned and possesses the expertise and resources to guide and facilitate the administrative, data management, and research capacity building functions of the MSM PRC. Partners of the proposed project, with whom MSM has a long and successful record of collaboration, include the Community Coalition Board (CCB). The Center’s location facilitates daily interaction with the CCB members, broader community access to resources and engagement between neighborhood residents and academic faculty and staff. The MSM PRC will be co-lead by four individuals with complementary training, expertise, and leadership in National networks designed to advance health equity in response to emerging and obstinate structural in equities. They are experienced researchers in health disparities, community engagement, and SDOH. (1) Tabia Henry Akintobi, PhD, MPH, Professor and Chair, MSM Community Health and Preventive Medicine (Contact PI); (2) Rhonda Holliday, PhD, Professor, MSM PRC (3) Rakale Quarells, PhD, Professor, MSM PRC (4) LaShawn M. Hoffman, Community Development, Civic Engagement Practitioner. The long-term goal is to use the community-led data, metrics systems, and networks gathered to inform a health equity research model for strengthening community-based organizations' research capacity to plan, implement, and sustain interventions that eliminate structural determinants of poor health to advance health equity independently and collectively. See specific Aims for the Center Component, Core Research Component, and Network Component aims that have been determined by the MSM PRC.