Sistas Inspiring Sistas Through Activity and Support
Condition: Prevention Harmful Effects
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      It is known that diet and physical affect a variety of disease-related endpoints and overall
      health status in general. The investigators also know that dietary and PA intervention
      effects are difficult for individuals to maintain. By contrast, the investigators have some
      evidence that group-based and family-centered, multi-component interventions are more
      effective in terms of creating large changes in diet-related outcomes. Using a
      group-randomized, controlled design, the overall goal of this project is to reduce breast
      cancer-related health disparities in a high-risk community, by achieving these Primary
      Aims,to conduct a regionally-based community-designed dietary and physical activity
      behavioral controlled trial among AA women,to test the effectiveness of the
      community-designed, family-based dietary and physical activity behavioral intervention on
      modifying biomarkers of inflammation and to test the effectiveness of the community-designed,
      family-based dietary and physical activity behavioral intervention on decreasing breast
      density
    

Detailed description: 
      AAs in South Carolina bear an unequal burden of cancer incidence and mortality compared to
      their European American counterparts. The Research Program (RP) is committed to investigating
      and eliminating this burden through the careful conduct of research studies in partnership
      with their AA community partners. The overall aim of the RP is to support the SCCDCN-II in
      its mission to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, cancer health disparities using a
      community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to design and conduct research
      projects in AA communities in South Carolina. The goals of the research program are to:
      support the SCCDCN by serving as a research liaison/consultant for all community-based
      activities; foster and support meaningful partnerships between academic researchers and
      community leaders and representatives; conduct a two-arm physical activity and dietary
      intervention trial for breast cancer prevention among African-American women in the
      investigators target communities of faith; conduct a pilot study to determine
      African-American men's and women's knowledge about prostate cancer screening and their
      knowledge and attitudes regarding participation in prostate cancer research, including
      National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored clinical trials; support additional research in
      cancer disparities through a Pilot Study post-transition year and to develop and implement an
      SCCDCN-II internal pilot grants program in years 4 and 5; and partner with community
      representatives to disseminate program findings and to work with colleagues in the AC, and
      Community Outreach and Training Programs to develop community capacity aimed at sustaining
      programs to improve health The two-arm intervention trial will be aimed at testing the
      effectiveness of a community-designed, family-based dietary and PA behavioral intervention on
      modifying biomarkers of inflammation and decreasing breast density with a randomized
      controlled design. The prostate cancer pilot will be aimed at assessing current knowledge and
      attitudes regarding prostate cancer prevention and screening, and participation in prostate
      cancer research; changes in knowledge and attitudes about research participation following a
      pilot education program; and culturally appropriate strategies for promoting cancer research
      among AAs in a faith-based community. All activities of the research program will be
      conducted in partnership with identified SCCDCN II community partners, the State Baptist YWA
      of the Women's BEMC, SCPHCA, CCBHSN, and Insights Consulting. It is anticipated that research
      activities will be conducted in all 5 years of the granting period with opportunities for
      research partnerships in all State Baptist YWA regions throughout the state.
    

Intervention name(s): Lifestyle
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants are consented and randomized into the intervention group or delayed intervention group(intervention offered one year later). Participants in intervention group attend 12 weekly sessions and 9 monthly sessions. All participants attend 3 clinics in which we collect data, measurements and blood samples. These clinics occur at baseline, 12 weeks and one year.
Other intervention name(s): SISTAS
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention