Guatemala is undergoing an epidemiological transition and today faces the """"""""double-burden"""""""" disease problem of significant Infectious and non-Infectious disease. However, prevalence and mortality rates of non- Infectious disease are limited by an unreliable, outdated national data collection system;with 56.2% of the population living In poverty and one of the highest poverty levels In Latin America, Guatemala's Infrastructure makes disease surveillance and research a challenge. The Institute Nacional de Cancerologia (National Cancer Institute, INCAN) Is the primary source for cancer data In Guatemala. Four of the top ten cancers in men (skin, stomach, prostate, and colon) and women (cervix, breast, skin, and stomach) could be decreased with Interventions such as risk factor modification or screening. However, cancer research and development of Interventions at INCAN (and most of Guatemala) has been practically non-existent. There Is an Immediate need to train future clinicians and public health workers in the fundamentals of human subjects research, epidemiology, and the interaction of culture and health, with a focus on adapting sound research methodologies to the constraints of a resource-challenged region. The long term goals of the proposed training program are to strengthen the institutional capacity at Washington University to address International cancer control and to strengthen INCAN's research capacity through the development of a sustainable cancer research training program. The proposed program will foster mentored relationships and collaborations between diverse faculty from Washington University and INCAN faculty and trainees, as well as create opportunities for future resources and sources of funding.
The specific aims of this project are: 1. To develop a cancer research training course for future researchers in Guatemala. 2. To provide guidance to and assist with interdisciplinary, inter-institutional cancer research protocol development by INCAN and Washington University postdoctoral trainees.
The training program is significant because it addresses an immediate need in Guatemala for structured research protocols to effectively study the country's changing disease trends, particularly cancer. It is innovative in that it will develop sustainable training to future researchers in a resource-poor country. It will develop lasting multidisciplinary collaborative relationships between Washington University and INCAN that will lead to design and implementation of policy relevant to cancer control research.
| Arnold, Lauren D; Barnoya, Joaquin; Gharzouzi, Eduardo N et al. (2014) A training programme to build cancer research capacity in low- and middle-income countries: findings from Guatemala. Bull World Health Organ 92:297-302 |
