The development of a clinical research educational training for community health workers using the joint task force for clinical trial competency framework.

The NYU Clinical & Translational Science Institute, in collaboration with a number of community-engaged initiatives, developed a training for community health workers (CHWs) to enhance health literacy about clinical research. This innovative research training provides CHWs with a basic level of competency in clinical research to convey the importance of research to communities and better advocate for their health needs. CHWs are an underutilized resource to engage diverse populations in clinical research.

Perceptions about participation in cancer clinical trials in New York state.

Background: Clinical trials are valuable in advancing cancer care through the investigation of ways in which to better prevent, detect and diagnose, and/or treat cancer. Recruitment of adults into clinical trials has historically been low.

Objective: To survey adult cancer patients who reside in New York state to better understand their participation in and attitudes about clinical trials.

Raising awareness of on-line cancer information: helping providers empower patients.

While the digital divide remains a special problem in health care, providers' reluctance to refer patients to the Internet is an equally important problem. The Bridging the Digital Divide Project: Your Access to Cancer Information was designed with two target audiences in mind-consumers and health care providers. A total of 256 providers from varied health care settings enrolled in workshops over a 10-month period (2001-2002).