Community Responsive Research Program

The overall goal of WashU-ACCERT is to advance cancer control outcomes through community-engaged multi-level research that addresses the impact of access as defined by affordability (e.g., cost), availability of provider resources, attainability (ability to physically access services), accommodation (whether access meets patient needs), and acceptability (patient/provider attitudes) on cancer control outcomes. The Community Responsive Research Program is, and will remain, driven by community input and leadership in its priorities, methods, and approaches to engaged research. Our objective is to support community-responsive research that is co-led by university and community partners. We engage community partners in all phases of our work, including selection, conduct, and dissemination of research. To develop our Center and this Program, we used our innovative community Think Tank approach, where community members determine their priorities and build knowledge around affordability, availability, attainability, accommodation, acceptability, cancer control outcomes. In direct response to this input, we developed our signature multi-level intervention trial (CARE) and selected two community-responsive, community-engaged, and co-led research projects for involvement in this Component. We will leverage recurring Think Tanks to determine future funding priorities around affordability, availability, attainability, accommodation, acceptability, and cancer, aligned with our Center theme around access to health and healthcare. We commit to co-leadership, engagement, building knowledge of faculty and community, and return of information and resources. The Community Responsive Projects Program Aims are as follows: Aim 1. Conduct two community-responsive projects starting in year 1 that address affordability, availability, attainability, accommodation, and acceptability, cancer health outcomes, and respond to community priorities around cancer. Aim 2. Using our Center’s long-established engaged community-participatory process, determine priorities, solicit and select responsive research, and support cancer prevention and control research projects. Aim 3. In collaboration with the Administrative and RMMDM Cores, evaluate the engagement process, alignment with the Center theme, research outcomes, and impact. We will work closely with the RMMDM Core to administer and facilitate this research, with the support of the Administrative Core. This Program reflects a confluence of expertise in research, cancer control, health engagement, community health, affordability, availability, attainability, accommodation, and acceptability coming from established and early-stage faculty investigators, and long-time and new community partners. Our process for engaging the community in identifying research priorities, collaborating on project development, selection, conduct, and dissemination is both novel and time-tested. The Program is co-led by an established investigator, early-stage investigator, and two community partners, and supported by the Center’s Community Advisory Board. Our long-term goal in this Research Program is to create a pipeline of impactful community-engaged cancer control research that responds to priorities identified by community members.