Overview The overall goal of the research is to increase the organizational capacity of local primary health care organizations to participate in Hispanic health research, while better serving the cancer screening needs of the Latino community. Based on the work of Shaw et al. (2004), we developed a model to guide the research process (see Figure 1). The Hispanic Health Research Network (HHRN) Project Model identifies the four essential phases of the research process: engaging partners; assessing research capacity, building research capacity; and launching the HHRN by implementing a collaborative research project. Data collection activities involving human subjects will not begin until Phase 2, as we will assess the current organizational Hispanic research capacity and cultural competence and set priorities for action. These data collection activities include key informant interviews, surveys, and an organizational assessment conducted in conjunction with each practice-based partner. In Phase 4, to launch the HHRN, the practice-based partners will conceptualize, develop, and implement a research project. The specific research questions and methods will be developed during this iterative process and phase, and exact details are therefore unknown to us at this time. However, the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval process will be an integral part of this capacity-building initiative among the practice-based partners. No involvement of human subjects in the proposed research will occur until the protocol has been approved by the USC IRB and all corresponding IRBs of the practice-based partners.
