The Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Howard University and the Association of Black Sociologists are applying to the National Outreach Initiatives Branch (NOIB) of the National Cancer Institute for a five year cooperative agreement to strengthen and enhance the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer. The general mission of the project is to reduce the incidence of cancer among African Americans.
The specific aims are to enhance cancer prevention in target communities by enlisting a broad coalition of African American social scientists in identifying and making accessible behavioral models and resources to change individual cancer-related behaviors; 2) to promote the dissemination and adoption of cancer prevention behaviors through NBLIC coalitions that are linked with participants from the National Congress of Black Churches, local colleges and universities and the National Association of Social Workers; and, 3) to modify community social norms and practices in the direction of health promotion in affected communities. The primary cancer-reduction intervention in each community is outreach through NBLIC coalitions. The project will provide technical assistance, training and support to local coalitions. Process evaluation will include monitoring of program implementation and coalition activities in each site. An initial survey of exiting coalitions will produce baseline data, coalition and community profiles. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected that describe the functions of the coalitions, interaction patterns of local organizations and individuals, and outreach strategies. An outcome evaluation design, based upon a quasi-experimental health intervention model will measure changes in a group of intervening variables, such as health promotion knowledge, awareness and behavior, that research indicates should influence the dependent variable of cancer incidence. Stratified population samples, drawn at six NBLIC sites and two comparison sites. will be surveyed annually for three years. A subset of individuals will be included in an ethnographic study that will help to determine the sequence of decision-making about adoption of cancer reduction behaviors. Utilization data on early detection and cancer screening will be gathered from clinics, hospitals and local organizations that are linked to NBLIC coalitions. Prevalence and incidence data on cancer incidence will be drawn from local Public Health Units and Federal data sources.
