Abstract B16: Potential challenges and strategies for working with community cancer advocates in a rural population
Authors: Schifano Katelyn 
Published: February 2019

Introduction: The Breast Health Research Champion (BHRC) program was developed in order to train breast health advocates in the community on breast health basics, clinical trials, and biospecimen donations. Data collection is underway for the 4th cohort, and focuses on the rural area of Lawrenceville, Virginia. Lawrenceville is a part of Brunswick County, which is a large county encompassing 569 square miles and a population of 16,500 persons. This is the second cohort involving rural communities. When working with small, tight-knit communities, we have encountered some challenges and have developed methods/strategies to address them.

Methods: From experiences in a past rural cohort, several adaptations were made in the program in order to ensure success. These minor adaptations were developed in conjunction with community facilitators from the target area. Conversations were held throughout the facilitator training sessions, encouraging facilitators to problem-solve potential issues in order to assist in preparing for the program. Although the changes are small, it is thought that the adjustments made created a more engaged, sustainable relationship between researchers, community partners, and community members.

Summary: The community partner identified two women from different geographic areas in the large county of Brunswick. This served multiple purposes; it helped reduce the burden on any one community member, and it increased the areas that participants were recruited from. The recruitment from various areas was critical as it provided a greater impact of the key messages of the program going out into the community. Particularly in the rural areas, we have found that communication from a community facilitator as opposed to research staff is crucial for engaging individuals. Participants were more likely to attend sessions and continued education when contacted by the community facilitator. The facilitators also identified alternate options to engage participants who were unable to travel or attend a session. iPads were used to record videos from education sessions in order to facilitate their understanding. Internet connectivity is not readily available in this area; however, the community partner was able to provide space for additional viewing sessions with Internet access. Another challenge we encountered was a lack of healthy foods available for the sessions. Facilitators worked with local community members to plan menus and prepare healthy food options for the sessions.

Conclusion: Engaging communities in research involves flexibility and a multifaceted approach. When preparing for community-involved research, make sure community members understand that challenges will be encountered, but research staff are there to troubleshoot issues that arise. Open and honest communication with community partners about past challenges and listening to their suggestions for improvements are crucial for successful engagement in rural communities. These conversations are integral as it fosters a sense of trust, which ultimately strengthens the partnership.

Citation Format: Katelyn Schifano. Potential challenges and strategies for working with community cancer advocates in a rural population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B16.