Abstract A46: SOURCE: Strengthening Our Understanding of Research through Community Engagement

Each year research finding from clinical trials advance the quality of care provided to cancer patients. Yet, participation in the United States remains under 3% for the general population and lower rates of participation amongst racial and ethnic minority groups. A significant amount of research has been conducted to evaluate barriers to participation. Our team set out to explore motivators and/or facilitators to participation in addition to barriers. SOURCE: Strengthening Our Understanding of Research through Community Engagement is an NCI funded pilot project designed to explore community responses to actual clinical trial studies by African American and Hispanic/Latino audiences. Utilizing a series of scenarios, participants were introduced to four studies including a biospecimen tobacco study, a longitudinal prevention study, and two randomized treatment trials. The mechanism used to gain this information is community dialogues and group discussions with guidance from a steering committee comprised of community leaders and behavioral and basic scientists from Fox Chase Cancer Center. Results from the targeted questions used to prompt responses and discussion will be used to tailor recruitment efforts, education and outreach, and professional training. In total, four sessions occurred and 96 participated in our community dialogues; 71% were female, 48% Hispanic/Latino and the average age was 57. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected, the later via ARS (automatic response systems). During our session we will share information regarding concerns the groups expressed, information they seek initially when presented with the option of participation in a clinical trials and share the recommendations provided by participants to keep the community and patients informed and engaged. Citation Format: Evelyn Gonzalez, Linda G. Fleisher, Armenta Washington, Rosa Ortiz, Andrea King. SOURCE: Strengthening Our Understanding of Research through Community Engagement. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A46.