3430 Promoting Stakeholder Research Competencies to Culturalize Health Science by the Miami CTSA: National Partnership for Training Community Health Workers in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) in 4 States
Authors: Rodriguez Brendaly 
Published: March 2019

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: To mobilize and engage CHWs/promotores as stakeholders, we aim to promote the capacity for CHWs participate in patient centered research (PCOR) by locally implementing a structured research training curriculum for CHWs. Main Questions: How the process of mobilization and engagement would be implemented at local/state level? What would be project challenges, risks and barriers at each and across sites? What modifications would be made to the initial PCOR for CHWs training curriculum and toolkit based on local feedback from collaborators, in both English and Spanish? What would be lessons learned on mobilization, engagement of, and sustainability for CHW training organizations as partners in PCOR? METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Measures: Monthly calls and quarterly reports from local organizations on activities, deliverables status, modifications, project implementation challenges/barriers and solutions (experienced and potential) to achieve goals of training 10 PCOR CHW Champions and a total of 360 CHWs/promotores trained in PCOR. Input from Note taker reports, Feedback and Evaluation Forms from training attendees at each session. Co-authorship of team members on dissemination activities (submissions for presentations, posters, blogs entries, webinars). Activities/Procedures: Via a highly participatory, consensus-driven decision-making approach, each of the organizations in the target states provide input into refining the toolkit for local use, select the training champions and develop CHW/promotor outreach and recruitment plans, and deliver the PCOR training to CHWs. In addition, the organizations will also set up a local stakeholder CHW/promotores advisory group. Environmental scan and literature review continues on training content areas to complement field experience in implementing the trainings at local sites. Project information tools developed (info sheet for local organizations, informational slide set to be used at calls and statewide seminars, a templates for flyer for training recruitment, agenda, certificates). FL and TN pilot of the translation of the curriculum, addressing problematic concepts and terms, collecting feedback forms eliciting input on terminology variations across Spanish speaking populations and literacy levels. Project Collaborators: Día de la Mujer Latina, a patient advocacy group in Texas with CHW trainings in several states and Puerto Rico Chula Vista Community Collaborative, a community health empowerment organization in Southern California Progresso Community Center, a Latino-focused health coalition based in Tennessee Florida Community Health Worker Coalition, a statewide partnership dedicated to the support and promotion of the CHW profession in Florida. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Results: Trainings per State - Y1 Jan- October 2018 Totals: 11 PCOR Champions and 252 PCOR-Trained CHWs in CA-TX-TN Y2 Plans (October 2018-September 2019): Will continue to collect CHW trainee demographic data, CHW certification and patient/patient advocate status. Will conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis of all quarterly reports, Note taker, and trainee Feedback and Evaluation forms. Will reach goal of 360 PCOR-trained CHWs in FL, CA, TX and TN. Will continue to submit abstracts on our story on building patient and stakeholder capacity to participate as partners in patient-centered outcomes research, engagement and mobilization, from topic generation through the dissemination of research results. From evaluation analysis of content and process measures, we will discuss sustainability strategies as shared learning collaborative. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Challenges/Decision Points Y1: On Mobilization and Engagement: Across partners, different levels of readiness/capacities/structures, and access to local resources Process application for request for content and guest instructor approvals to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for CHW and CHW Instructor credit Co-branding of informational products (recruitment flyers, agendas, certificates), slides of Welcome section On Content and Curriculum Development: Address different levels of literacy Format (1-day vs spread, in person/online, prescriptive vs open) Clear distinction between service provision and research; paradigm shift of transfer of skills Inserting examples of unethical health research past activities with both African American and Hispanic/Latino populations Reinstating phases of clinical studies basic information Creating a study research design activity in Chapter 1 CHW role as member of research team Adding PCORI-funded project summary fact sheet per state On translations: Diversity of nuances of meaning in vocabulary for concepts On sustainability: Different degrees of organizational and personal involvement Next for newly PCOR-trained CHWs Meaningfully engaging patients and other stakeholders is increasingly recognized as requisite to generate research findings that are trusted, meaningful, and useful to clinicians, patients, and their families. One key engagement strategy used for engaging specific patients/caregivers and patient advocates in underserved communities is leveraging our partnerships with Community Health Workers (CHWs). Moreover, there is a documented need for higher level of training skills to undertake activities such as community health assessments, program evaluations and clinical studies. University of Miami (UM) along FL partners has successfully developed a 7-hr specialized toolkit on patient-centered research for CHWs and trained 148 CHWs/promotores (original plans were for 100) across the six major statewide regions. Evaluation data resulted in 100% of attendees responses’ as excellent and 99% would recommend it to others. Qualitative comments included “even though the training was tailored for research, I feel that it applies to many other aspects of the CHW role” and “I feel more empowered in my role after hearing explicitly the opportunities…for a CHW to be more involved in the research process”. UM has partnered with stakeholders in FL, Texas, southern California and Tennessee to develop a Spanish version of the PCOR for CHWs Training Toolkit (including a slide deck, Facilitator’s Guide and Student Workbook) that can be culturally and linguistically appropriate, to train local CHWs/promotores as PCOR CHW Champions. Attendees will receive lunch and a certificate of participation upon completion of the module. In turn, they agree to train local CHWs in their region. These 7 credit hrs could be used as credits towards state certification requirements, in states with CHW certification programs. This partnership for the mobilization and engagement of CHWs/promotores aims to strengthen their capacity to be involved in PCOR at the local and national level and increase the organizational capacity of CHW representative organizations in their promotion of PCOR. This type of research aims to help patients and those who care for them make better-informed decisions about the healthcare choices they face every day, guided by those who will use that information. In doing so, CHWs/promotores are contributing to PCOR in addressing health disparities and achieving health equity as a more culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare workforce and PCOR research team members.