# Community Outreach and Engagement

> **NIH NIH P30** · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · 2020 · $209,728

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: Community Outreach and Engagement
The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC) is unique among NCI-designated Cancer
Centers as the only one in Northern New England (VT, NH, ME), the one located in the smallest town, and as
one of the few whose catchment area has a population that is almost half rural (48%), does not contain a major
urban core, and has nine of 24 counties classified as 7, 8, or 9 (isolated rural) according to the Rural Urban
Continuum Codes (RUCCs). While the population within our catchment area is not as racially/ethnically
heterogeneous as some, social determinants in our largely rural communities – particularly age, income, and
education play an important role in cancer-related health behaviors, risk, early detection, treatment, and
survivorship. Disparities along the cancer control continuum between our rural and non-rural populations have
been documented, spurring distinct research and intervention needs. Our catchment area carries a
disproportionate burden in cancer incidence, leading to both cancer-related mortality, and a growing population
of cancer survivors. NCCC plays a unique and substantive role in our communities—engaging the populations
within our catchment area and focusing research on locally-relevant issues to translate evidence into impactful
benefits for individuals and communities, with research that is often generalizable to other populations. While
NCCC has served this overarching mission for decades, the recent formalization of the Community Outreach
and Engagement (COE) component of the CCSG will catalyze NCCC to identify and address the needs of our
catchment area in a more comprehensive, cohesive, nimble and timely way as we work in concert with
NCCC’s Research Programs to accomplish three aims. These are: 1) To identify, measure, and monitor the
cancer control needs and cancer health equity issues throughout the catchment area through engagement of a
Community Advisory Board, observational studies and surveillance of health system, state, and national data;
2) To address the cancer control needs and cancer health equity issues of our catchment area through
community-engaged interventions, increased participation in clinical trials, and regional collaborations, with an
emphasis on rural and underserved populations; and 3) To promote cancer research findings from the four
NCCC scientific programs across the cancer control continuum for translation into sustainable policy, program,
and health system enhancements. We will apply metrics to track relevance and impact of research related to
cancer biology, clinical research, cancer-related health equity, prevention, and control within our catchment
area (surveillance and community metrics) and what are we doing about it (engagement, collaboration, and
research metrics). The COE initiative will build upon a strong existing base of community and regional
partnerships. By achieving the COE aims, we will ensure that we are...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9855316
- **Project number:** 2P30CA023108-41
- **Recipient organization:** DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Tracy Onega
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $209,728
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9855316

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9855316, Community Outreach and Engagement (2P30CA023108-41). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9855316. Licensed CC0.

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