Working to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities from Tobacco: A Review of the National Cancer Institute’s Community Networks Program

Abstract

Introduction: In 2005, the National Cancer Institute funded the Community Networks Program (CNP), which aimed to reduce cancer health disparities in minority racial/ethnic and underserved groups through community-based participatory research, education, and training. The purpose of this study was to describe the CNP model and their tobacco-related work in community-based research, education, and training using a tobacco disparities research framework. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of the CNP tobacco-related activities including publications, published abstracts, research activities, trainee pilot studies, policy-related activities, educational outreach, and reports produced from [2005][2006][2007][2008][2009]. Two authors categorized the tobaccorelated activities and publications within the framework. Results: Although there was no mandate to address tobacco, the CNPs produced 103 tobaccorelated peer-reviewed publications, which reflects the largest proportion (12%) of all CNP cancerrelated publications. Selected publications and research activities were most numerous under the framework areas "Psychosocial Research, " "Surveillance, " "Epidemiology, " and "Treatment of Nicotine Addiction. " Thirteen CNPs participated in tobacco control policymaking in mainstream efforts that affected their local community and populations, and 24 CNPs conducted 1147 tobacco-related educational outreach activities. CNP activities that aimed to build research and infrastructure capacity included nine tobacco-related pilot projects representing 16% of all CNP cancer-related pilot projects, and 17 publications acknowledging leveraged partnerships with other organizations, a strategy encouraged by the CNP.

Convergence as public health innovation: a case for tobacco control

“…Leaders are responsible for the organizing principles of convergent innovation such as management, infrastructure, and recruitment. Tong et al 39 recommend that leadership must collaborate with partners to develop appropriate evaluation measures in order to track progress. Lack of leadership is a barrier to collaboration as are discrepant models of leadership among collaborators.…”

“…10 Tong et al 39 • Collaborate with partners to develop set of core evaluation measures that are available on an interactive platform.…”

“…30,36,39 Partnerships with communities can directly address health inequities (beyond the impact of initiatives) by promoting social cohesion and increasing a sense of community identity. 30 Of note in the Healthy Cities Network, the proportion of partnerships was highest among tobacco control programs in comparison to food-related and alcohol/drug-related programs.…”

“…Partnerships provide a level of flexibility that allows different sectors to identify and implement strategies relevant to the context and conditions of communities. 39 Partnerships also bring access to much needed resources by leveraging the different attributes of members. For maximum utility, these partnerships need to be crafted early at the knowledge synthesis phase, where ideas and strategies are generated and agendas can be set.…”

“…39,54 Technological innovations need to include new ways of collecting data at multiple levels by multiple stakeholders at numerous points of impact. The lack of accompanying evaluation and quality metrics may render some convergent innovations unmeasurable and undermine any impact.…”