Community Outreach and Engagement

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT ABSTRACT Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Utah, and Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) is the official Cancer Center of the State of Utah, pursuant to a 2005 legislative resolution. In recognition of this charge and the fact that >80% of HCI’s cancer patient population is from Utah, HCI defines its catchment area as the State of Utah. Further, HCI also serves as the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center in the vast Mountain West region of the USA that includes Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. Through thoughtful monitoring of the cancer landscape in Utah, HCI has identified, invested in, and promoted research, prevention, and policy measures to address pressing needs of our catchment area, with the goal to achieve the greatest and most sustainable impact. Three primary focus areas of our efforts include: 1) Melanoma/Sun Safety: Utah has the highest melanoma incidence in the nation; 2) Lung Cancer/Tobacco Control/Radon Reduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Utah; 3) Rural/Frontier Populations. Major opportunities to address cancer health differences due to Utah's rural/frontier geography and demographics. In addition, we have invested in areas with opportunities for innovation and impact based on features of our catchment area: 1) Top Five Cancers in Utah for Incidence or Mortality; 2) Inherited Cancer Risk; 3) Pediatric/Adolescent Cancers; 4) Prevention of HPV-Related Cancers. HCI’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) efforts encompass two major components. The Center for HOPE leads our community-engaged and implementation research efforts to improve cancer-related population health, and the Community Outreach and Prevention Education office provides outreach and education about cancer risk, prevention, and care to patients and communities throughout Utah. HCI has an impressive portfolio of catchment-area relevant research, ranging from basic- science discovery and investigator-initiated clinical trials in our areas of focus, to a recently submitted Melanoma SPORE, and large team science grants that engage Utah’s Federally Qualified Health Centers. Finally, COE efforts align with our educational programs to address health outcomes, which include our CURE PathMaker Program and GMaP. HCI also works closely with two major community partners, HCI’s 38-member Community Advisory Board and the Utah Cancer Action Network, to establish priorities for services, outreach, education, and research. Through these and other state-wide and broader partnerships, HCI translates science to the community. We have been successful in achieving and continue to drive policy improvements at local and national levels, with particular emphasis on cancer-related topics of relevance to Utah.