The Behavioral and Field Research Core (BFRC) is designed to facilitate the integration of communication and behavioral research across the Institute including work in epidemiology, cancer prevention, clinical and developmental therapeutics, palliative care, and genetics. The BFRC is grouped in the Population Research Core Cluster along with the Epidemiology Research Core. The Core offers expertise in communication science and behavioral research methodologies; design and evaluation of evidence-based social and behavioral interventions (including social marketing as a systematic approach to population level behavior change); social network methodology and analysis; quality of life measurement utilizing the most appropriate instruments; ecological momentary assessment (EMA techniques provide methods by which a research participant can report on symptoms, affect, behavior, and cognitions proximal to the experience, and these reports are obtained many times throughout the study); electronic daily diaries (QOL continues to be a critical factor in developmental therapeutic trials); and community engagement research, particularly related to health disparities. The Core maintains an active network of community organization partnerships across the Institute's catchment area. Community partners participate in research advisory committees and community advisory committees, providing community perspective, input and facilitating access to the populations they serve. Through these partnerships, the Core facilitates community access for Institute researchers, thus serving to assist in the translation and dissemination of cancer research. Resources available through BFRC include real-time video recording and coding of clinical interactions (including equipment, software and expertise), access to an extensive video archive for communication and behavioral studies, geographical and population tracking/mapping capabilities, community research participant registries, access to comprehensive national datasets (e.g. HINTS), as well as an extensive bank of clinical and social/behavioral instruments and measures. The services provided by the BFRC have contributed to 32 peer-reviewed publications during the current review period. As an example, the BFRC provided all regulatory tasks, recruitment, data collection, video capture, post-production editing, and coding for Dr. Penner's (PSDR) work demonstrating the importance of recognizing and understanding how the distinct dynamics of racially concordant and discordant interactions affect medical encounters and outcomes, (Hagiwara N, Soc SciMed, 2013).
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