Community Outreach, Engagement, and Mentoring Program for Underrepresented Scholars in Cancer Health Disparities.

Racial/ethnic minorities and women are affected by cancer and cancer risk factors at higher rates; however, they are largely underrepresented in scientific professions focused on health disparities. One way to reduce disparities is to increase diversity within the workforce by planning training activities for minority scholars and paying close attention to community outreach. This paper describes the outcomes of a robust community outreach plan engaging communities in education, research, and clinical trials to increase the number of underrepresented student scholars in cancer disparities research through research training, mentorship, and service-learning activities provided within local organizations.

Promoting Cancer Health Equity: A Qualitative Study of Mentee and Mentor Perspectives of a Training Program for Underrepresented Scholars in Cancer Health Disparities.

Racial and ethnic minorities, and women, experience stark disparities in cancer risk behaviors and mortality rates, yet often remain underrepresented in scientific research positions. We conducted an exploratory, qualitative study to examine the value of mentored research experience as part of an NCI-funded research training program designed to increase the representation of minority and women scientists in cancer disparities research. Using individual interviews, we explored 16 mentees' and 7 mentors' program experiences and perspectives to identify the most effective strategies to build strong mentoring relationships that could ultimately contribute to increased representation in health disparities research.

"UHAND"-A National Cancer Institute Funded Partnership to Advance Cancer Health Equity through Scholar Training.

Black and Hispanic adults are disproportionately affected by cancer incidence and mortality, and experience disparities in cancer relative to their White counterparts in the US. These groups, including women, are underrepresented among scientists in the fields of cancer, cancer disparities, and cancer care. The "UHAND" Program is a partnership between institutions (University of Houston and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) aiming to build the capacity of underrepresented and racial/ethnic minority student "scholars" to conduct research on eliminating cancer inequities by reducing social and physical risk factors among at-risk groups.

Engaging Black Churches to Address Cancer Health Disparities: Project CHURCH.

African Americans in the United States suffer disproportionately from cancer, having the highest mortality rate of any racial/ethnic group across all cancers for the past several decades. In addition, significant disparities exist in several cancer risk behaviors, including obesity, intake of fruits and vegetables, leisure time physical activity and cancer screening. Addressing these disparities require successful development of relationships with minority communities to partner in the research process, in order to understand areas of critical need and develop interventions that are compatible with this community.