The Deep South Network for Cancer Control (DSNCC) focuses on some of the most impoverished and underserved areas in the US. The rural MS Delta, AL Black Belt and inner city of Birmingham, AL and Hattiesburg, Laurel, MS have exceptionally high rates of cancer mortality, cancer disparity and obesity. The DSNCC has for 9 yrs systematically addressed the major cancer health concerns of these areas. A community based infrastructure was established that in collaboration with three academic institutions addressed disparity in cervical and breast cancer screening and more recently in colorectal cancer screening, lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating. During this period we have expanded our community infrastructure in our targeted areas to include a Community Network Partnership (CNP) in each county. Building upon our community-academic partnership, our success in promoting cancer screening, increasing physical activity and incorporating healthy eating into churches, we have the following overall Specific Aims: 1-Through the Community Outreach Core, promote screening for breast, cervix, and colorectal cancer and increased physical activity and healthy eating through a community based participatory approach that includes development of a Community Action Plan that targets all levels of the socio-ecological model;2- through the Research Core develop, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of a community-based, participatory, culturally-relevant intervention to reduce body weight among African American women residing in rural communities in the Deep South through a group randomized trial. Also, develop, implement, and disseminate the results of 3 pilot projects that address the needs of the community as well as the NCI requirements, with the first having a primary focus of addressing the need of revisiting the current colorectal cancer screening guidelines for African Americans;3-through the Training Core train a cadre of new investigators who are committed to community based participatory research (CBPR) to eliminate cancer health disparities. The activities of these cores will be coordinated by an Administrative Core.

Public Health Relevance

This is a highly relevant project that addresses an African-American population in a geographic location that suffers disproportionately from cancer, obesity and related co-morbidities. This network address these disparities in a systematic approach that increases its chance of success by employing community based participatory research and the socio-ecological model.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Specialized Center--Cooperative Agreements (U54)
Project #
5U54CA153719-05
Application #
8725475
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZCA1)
Program Officer
Banez, Lionel L
Project Start
2010-09-07
Project End
2015-08-31
Budget Start
2014-09-01
Budget End
2015-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294
Shikany, James M; Carson, Tiffany L; Hardy, Claudia M et al. (2018) Assessment of the nutrition environment in rural counties in the Deep South. J Nutr Sci 7:e27
Sterling, Samara; Judd, Suzanne; Bertrand, Brenda et al. (2018) Dietary Patterns Among Overweight and Obese African-American Women Living in the Rural South. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 5:141-150
Carson, Tiffany L; Jackson, Bradford E; Nolan, Timiya S et al. (2017) Lower depression scores associated with greater weight loss among rural black women in a behavioral weight loss program. Transl Behav Med 7:320-329
Ard, J D; Carson, T L; Shikany, J M et al. (2017) Weight loss and improved metabolic outcomes amongst rural African American women in the Deep South: six-month outcomes from a community-based randomized trial. J Intern Med 282:102-113
Sterling, Samara R; Bertrand, Brenda; Judd, Suzanne et al. (2017) Longitudinal Analysis of Nut-Inclusive Diets and Body Mass Index Among Overweight and Obese African American Women Living in Rural Alabama and Mississippi, 2011-2013. Prev Chronic Dis 14:E82
Wynn, Theresa A; Wyatt, Sharon B; Hardy, Claudia M et al. (2016) Using Community Feedback to Improve Community Interventions: Results From the Deep South Network for Cancer Control Project. Fam Community Health 39:234-41
Umstattd Meyer, M Renée; Moore, Justin B; Abildso, Christiaan et al. (2016) Rural Active Living: A Call to Action. J Public Health Manag Pract 22:E11-20
Sterling, Samara R; Bertrand, Brenda; Judd, Suzanne et al. (2016) Nut Intake among Overweight and Obese African-American Women in the Rural South. Am J Health Behav 40:585-93
Partridge, Edward E; Hardy, Claudia M; Baskin, Monica L et al. (2015) Shifting Community-Based Participatory Infrastructure from Education/Outreach to Research: Challenges and Solutions. Prog Community Health Partnersh 9 Suppl:33-9
Carson, Tiffany L; Desmond, Renee; Hardy, Sharonda et al. (2015) A study of the relationship between food group recommendations and perceived stress: findings from black women in the Deep South. J Obes 2015:203164

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