Community Engagement/Outreach Program 5.1 Activities and Research Questions There is a long-standing appreciation within the tradition of public health of the importance of community participation in the research process. Unfortunately, there is also a long and inexcusable history discrimination or even abuse of minority subjects in research. The history of the Tuskegee experiments involving African American men continues to strongly influence the relationship between the research and the African American community. There is little doubt that recent publicity concerning apparent human subjects violations in gene trials, clinical research, and community-based research have only further contributed to the suspicion and mistrust of research investigators. Therefore, in order to build an effective center focused on the important problem of disparities in, the health of minority children, it is essential that an effective collaboration be established with local communities. The history of research in minority communities is neither a simple nor attractive one. Far too often, research investigators appear to build their careers but do little to improve the minority communities in which they are working. In other instances, advancements or benefits arising from scientific research slight or ignore minority children. It would be an act of hubris to suggest that this history has been erased by the RCCHD over the past five years. Nonetheless, since its inception the RCCHD has been committed to a modest, incremental, and effective collaboration with the local community. As the activities below demonstrate, we are actively and constructively engaged with the local community on a variety of levels. The activities of this core require the development of a bi-directional relationship to the local community through which there is an exchange of ideas, information, and innovation informing both the research process and the community. Through the mechanism of a strong, autonomous, and effective Community Advisory Board (CAB) as well as participation with other groups and activities, we will continue incorporating the opinions, values, and needs of the Washington D.C. community into the development of the Center. JHU, one of the partners, maintains there own formal and long-lasting ties to the Baltimore community. This relationship will inform their research investigations and provide a forum for the communication of their findings to that community. Consequently, the focus of the RCCHD's community engagement/outreach core will be on the D.C. community. In order to address disparities in the health of minority infants, children and adolescents, we will continue maintaining a long-term, effective relationship with the local community. In order to achieve this goal, we propose to address the following specific aims: ? Maintain and enhance mechanisms for bi-directional communication between the community and the Center. ? Engage the community in contributing to the development of, and participating in, research relevant to the health of their children. ? Use the public schools to promote awareness of the importance of science, health, and research. Both Howard University and CNMC have a history of strong relationships to the local community. Howard University is the oldest and one of the most respected historically Black colleges and universities. Its position as a leader in medical education and research is widely recognized. The majority of all African American physicians in United States have received their medical education at Howard University College of Medicine. Initially founded as Freedmen's Hospital in 1862 to provide health care to newly freed African American slaves, the hospital was subsequently named Howard University Hospital (HUH). HUH has residency training programs in all the major specialties and fellowship programs in several subspecialty areas. It is a 375-bed hospital that is the main training facility for the HUCM medical students and the postgraduate trainees. The institution has a strong and well-recognized tradition of training excellent physicians, providing quality medical care, serving the community, and conducting medical research. HUH has its own Cancer Center, Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Transplant Center, Collaborative Alcohol Research Center, General Clinical Research Center and 24 well-equipped laboratories.
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