# Community Outreach and Engagement

> **NIH NIH P30** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $432,411

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) defines the state of Maryland as its catchment
area. Marylanders accounted for 4,625 out of 6,722 (69%) of the SKCCC's newly diagnosed cancer cases in
2020. Maryland is quite diverse racially, ethnically and socioeconomically, with substantial urban, rural and
suburban communities. Of the 50 states, Maryland has the highest median family income and has among the
highest proportion of college graduates. The state also has substantial poverty that fosters cancer disparities.
The Maryland Department of Health divides the state into five regions. Community Outreach and Engagement
(COE) staff maintain a database of cancer demographics, health behaviors and availability of care by region.
Certain areas of the state have cancer death rates that are lower than the national average. Certain areas have
death rates far higher than the national average. Epidemiologists in the SKCCC Office of COE work to define the
areas of need and apply the interventions that can reduce disparities. The SKCCC recruited Otis Brawley, M.D.,
as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Associate Director for COE. He worked with community and staff to
author a COE strategic plan, to build the Office of COE, restructured to increase community input and direction,
and launched high-impact signature initiatives in outreach and cancer control. Infrastructure was built to facilitate
communication within the Cancer Center and communication to and involvement of the community the SKCCC
serves. The infrastructure is designed to encourage bidirectional communication with the community. The
SKCCC COE's philosophy is to serve the community, be good listeners and understand the community. There
are three Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) in specific regions of the state that provide input and help
implement cancer control activities (two are more than ten years old). COE has convened a 17-member
Community Advisory Board (CAB) representing the state. Each CAG has representation in the CAB. The CAB
confirmed SKCCC priorities and provides strategic direction to SKCCC leadership. Each Research Program also
appoints a member as COE Liaison, funded at 5% time commitment. These Liaisons meet with the CAGs and
CAB regularly to discuss SKCCC research and learn of community needs and concerns. This process catalyzes
research pertinent to the community. COE staff, the Community Liaisons and SKCCC leadership work with
SKCCC researchers to assure community need is kept in mind. COE staff consult one on one with SKCCC
investigators on a regular basis and routinely participate in leadership meetings held in the Center. Currently,
62% of the SKCCC's extramurally funded research portfolio is catchment area relevant, addressing a locally
prevalent cancer and/or a disparate population. COE also administers approximately $2 million per year as seed
funding to stimulate research pertinent to the catchment area. This is done with CAB o...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10409353
- **Project number:** 2P30CA006973-59
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** OTIS W BRAWLEY
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $432,411
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-05-07 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10409353

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10409353, Community Outreach and Engagement (2P30CA006973-59). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10409353. Licensed CC0.

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