Abstract 2159: Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program
Authors: Rodriguez Yaneth L. , Rodriguez Janet , Ricker Charité , Culver Julie , Hernandez Daisy , Guierrez Natalia , Cardona Yvonne , Barahona Rosa , Rosales Bianca , Stern Mariana , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes A. 
Published: March 2024

Introduction: There is a lack of culturally sensitive materials to educate the Hispanic/Latino/a/x (H/L) community on colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the second and third leading cause of cancer deaths among H/L men and women in the United States, respectively. For these reasons, an Educational Tool Kit was created for the Community Genetic Navigation Specialists (CoGENEs) program at the Center for Optimizing Engagement of Hispanic Colorectal Cancer Patients in Cancer Genomic Characterization Studies (COPECC) at the University of Southern California (USC). CoGENES is a train the trainer program geared towards the development of a local workforce of trained community engagement specialists, promotores de salud (community health workers) that will act as liaison agents to increase knowledge and create community awareness on genetic research, clinical genetic testing, counseling, biospecimen donation and participation in clinical trials for H/Ls CRC patients, and community at large.

Methods: The Tool Kit consisted of a newly developed educational handbook focused on CRC prevention, genetics, counseling, tumor testing, and patient navigation, as well as existing materials with resources for CRC and counseling. To test the handbook, five focus groups in Spanish/English were conducted with 44 participants, recruited via community agencies/clinics serving Los Angeles. Optimization probes focused on readability, knowledge, acceptability, barriers, and recommended changes. Content analysis was conducted with focus group transcripts to inform how to optimize the handbook. A Materials Review Optimization Scorecard was developed to evaluate materials on content, literacy, graphics, layout and typography, learning, stimulation and motivation, and cultural and language appropriateness. Fifteen pieces in the handbook were each rated by three community health workers. A final suitability score was calculated for each piece.

Results: Overall, the materials were well received, and participants understood the overall main message of the materials. Feedback included refining terminology, providing additional headings and subtitles, and clarifying images to optimize the illustration of mutations. Final suitability scores from community health educators ranged from 80 to 99% for all materials, translating into “superior materials.”

Conclusion: Overall materials were well received, and they were rated as “superior materials.” Participants’ feedback from CoGENES is shared with the Engagement Optimization Unit (EOU) and Patient Engagement Unit (PEU) to optimize ongoing education and research at COPECC. The MR-OS tool will be shared with other PEU’s at other center’s to encourage it use when developing educational materials.

Citation Format: Yaneth L. Rodriguez, Janet Rodriguez, Charité Ricker, Julie Culver, Daisy Hernandez, Natalia Guierrez, Yvonne Cardona, Rosa Barahona, Bianca Rosales, Mariana Stern, Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati. Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2159.