The Puerto Rico Cancer Center (PRCC) requests $120,000 for partial support of """"""""Puerto Ricans and Cancer: The Unequal Burden,"""""""" a research conference focused on Mainland US and Island Puerto Ricans (PRs), and for a small Leadership Institute meeting; both will be in San Juan, PR, September 2005, and 2006, respectively. Over 3 million PRs reside in the Mainland US; nearly 4 million live in PR; in 8 states PRs are the majority Hispanic/Latino population. The proposed national research conference will be an important first step in the development of an informed, coherent cancer control plan for PRs.
The specific aims are to: 1) deliver/ clarify research information on cancer and factors contributing to health/healthcare disparities among PRs, 2) begin to translate research information into action strategies for reducing those disparities, 3) disseminate conference information widely on the Mainland and the Island, and 4) create new collaborative research and action agendas.
The aims advance PRCC's goals to provide PRs """"""""access to research driven cancer care ...and decrease health care disparities."""""""" They also advance NIH Program Announcement (PAR-03-176) goals. PRCC will use its mailing lists and those of the American Cancer Society and the Intercultural Cancer Council to invite diverse Mainland US and Island cancer scientists, health professionals, survivors, academic and community leaders, and government representatives. Dr. Reynold Lopez, PRCC Director, will manage the project. Up to 200 individuals are expected to attend. The project is significant and innovative because it is the first national cancer conference on PRs. Using large plenary and small group and work sessions and panels, the conference will present and examine information on topics across the cancer control continuum from disease prevention to end-of-life care, including genetics, quality of cancer care, survivorship, risk factors and surveillance. The Leadership Institute will enhance existing and create new collaborative efforts to reduce cancer's undue burden among PRs.
