The implementation and dissemination core will work with all project teams to improve their understanding of ethnic disparities and underuse, their ability to develop and implement interventions that reduce or eliminate disparities, and to disseminate findings and shape policy at local and national levels. To accomplish these goals,. A community advisory team will build on their existing linkages in Harlem and help researchers partner with local organizations from study inception through dissemination, to capitalize on community assets and develop strategies with an understanding of the target populations. The provider advisory team will share expertise on physician behaviors and cultural and linguistic competency with researchers that will inform the assessment of causes of underuse, and development of strategies and training of personnel to address disparities. These include open-ended interviews, focus groups, and survey development and recruitment sensitive to differences in cultures, language, and trust that may effect the content of studies and the level of patient participation. The core will help design and conduct interventions by interpreting these data in light of local populations, developing approaches and materials for interventions, piloting these locally, and training study personnel how to work with Harlem's residents. Finally, the core will work to disseminate findings throughout the projects both locally and nationally. We will feed back information to the community in a user-friendly way, to allow communities to respond to information about their health and health services and solidify relationships with researchers for the future. We will assist communities and organizations in garnering support to continue successful interventions and to address system factors that may emerge, such as language, insurance and literacy problems. We will help communities and researchers learn to effect changes in policy based on their work. Lastly, we will disseminate important findings regionally to allow for methods and interventions to be reproduced. Our ultimate aims are to foster lasting linkages between researchers, community organizations and change agents that partner to eliminate disparities using rigorous and culturally sensitive approaches that encourage inclusion, expansion and replication of successful programs.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications
