# Community Outreach and Engagement

> **NIH NIH P30** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $92,459

## Abstract

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT (COE): PROJECT SUMMARY
The Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC) serves a 58-county region in western North
Carolina, southwestern Virginia, and southern West Virginia. This catchment area is largely rural and has
significant racial, ethnic, and geographic cancer disparities, driven largely by elevated cancer risk factors
(obesity, tobacco use) and limited access to health care and other socia l determinants of health in the region.
The overall goal of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) at WFBCCC is to inform research, develop
education programs, and implement cancer control strategies to address the cancer burden within the WFBCCC
catchment area, with a particular focus on cancers that disproportionately impact the region. The COE seeks to
achieve the following Specific Aims: (1) define, describe, and disseminate information on the cancer burden, risk
factors, and disparities in the catchment area to guide WFBCCC research and community-informed
interventions; (2) implement evidence-based cancer control interventions, facilitated through community
collaborations and designed to impact the burden of cancer in the catchment area; (3) facilitate and support
community-engaged research and diverse and inclusive clinical trial participation within the Cancer Center,
region, and beyond; and (4) promote policy and advocacy directed at reducing the cancer burden and disparities
and advancing cancer health equity. COE activities are facilitated through the Office of Cancer Health Equity
(OCHE), led by Ronny Bell, PhD, MS, (Director) and assisted by Kathryn Weaver, PhD, MPH, (Assistant
Director, Research Integration), and Carla Strom, MLA (Assistant Director, Operations). The COE staff reflects
the diversity of the catchment area and includes Population Health Navigators, Community Educators, and
Research Facilitators. Bell receives guidance and input from the Community Advisory Board, which ensures
integration of community engagement into the clinical, research, and educational activities of the WFBCCC. The
COE uses the COE Internal Steering Committee to coordinate research and training activities across WFBCCC
Programs. The COE has been very successful in increasing participation of underserved populations in cancer
clinical trials. For example, the year prior to the start of the Underserved Patient Navigation Program, 20% of
Hispanic patients participated in interventional studies. Among navigated patients, the participation rate
increased from 14% to 34%. To ensure that COE achieves its mission, COE effectiveness will be assessed
through monitoring: (1) research addressing catchment needs and disparities; (2) minority participation in
research; (3) awareness and knowledge of cancer prevention and control strategies; and, (4) access to culturally
appropriate cancer-related care. Future directions for the COE will focus on expanding data collection activities
through enhanced analytic tools; develo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10333543
- **Project number:** 2P30CA012197-47
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Boris Pasche
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $92,459
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-02-01 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10333543

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10333543, Community Outreach and Engagement (2P30CA012197-47). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10333543. Licensed CC0.

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