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TReND: Health Disparities Research Methods Training Symposium
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About the Project
Rationale: The 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report indicates that disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status still pervade the American health care system. Although cancer rates have slightly declined overall, among specific race/ethnic groups, rates have not declined and disparities still exist for some racial/ethnic groups and those of low socioeconomic status. To achieve the goals of Healthy People 2010, increase the healthy lifespan and eliminate health disparities, it is imperative that research use the best methods and measures that would help reduce disparities and help the nation monitor its progress in eliminating cancer health disparities across the cancer prevention and control continuum. Few training opportunities exist that specifically focus on measures and methods in health disparities research.
Purpose: The Health Disparities Research Methods Training Symposium aimed to increase the competency of researchers to (1) conduct health disparities research, (2) promote the use of innovative methods and measures for research on health disparities, and (3) create opportunities for researchers from various disciplines who are interested in health disparities research to establish collaborative transdisciplinary research projects. This workshop was held on July 12, 2006, in conjunction with the World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Washington in July 2006. Seventy-four investigators participated in this one-day training which was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the DHHS Office on Women’s Health, and the American Legacy Foundation. Training sessions addressed ethical practices and issues; measuring cancer health disparities; behavioral methods and culture; race/ethnicity in research; sampling and statistical issues; and measuring of socioeconomic status. In addition, case studies on racial/ethnic groups were led by community-based and epidemiological researchers.
Impact: This project hopes to increase the competency of the health care workforce to conduct health disparities research, increased networking among scientists in cancer and tobacco interested in health disparities, and ultimately, and improve grant applications which address cancer health disparities.
Steering Committee
Richard Clayton, PhD
University of Kentucky
Pebbles Fagan, PhD, MPH
National Cancer Institute
Anita Fernander, PhD
University of Kentucky
George Hammons, PhD
Philander Smith College
Deborah McLellan, MHS
Brandeis University
Missy Segress, MS
University of Kentucky
Vickie Shavers, PhD
National Cancer Institute
Donna Vallone, PhD, MPH
American Legacy Foundation
Wayne Velicer, PhD
University of Rhode Island
Contact Us
Vickie Shavers, PhD
Epidemiologist
Health Services and Economics Branch
Applied Research Program
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
National Cancer Institute
shaversv@mail.nih.gov
Project Activities and Findings
Health Disparities Research Methods Training Symposium (July 12, 2006 in Washington, DC)
Agenda
Special Journal Issue
Shavers VL, Fagan P, McDonald P, eds. (2007). Health disparities across the cancer continuum. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Vol. 18(4).
Other Resources and Publications
Select Scientific Publications and Articles
Chavez, V., Duran, B.M., Baker, Q.E., Avila, M.M., and Wallerstein, N. (2008) The dance of race and privilege in community based participatory research. In M. Minkler and N. Wallerstein (Eds.), Community-Based Participatory Research for Health, 2nd edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Hasnain-Wynia R, Pierce D, & Pittman MA (2004). Who, When, and How: The Current State of Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language Data Collection in Hospitals . The Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY.
Krieger N, Chen JT, Waterman PD, Rehkopf DH & Subramanian SV (2003). Race/ethnicity, gender, and monitoring socioeconomic gradients in health: A comparison of area-based socioeconomic measures—The public health disparities geocoding project. Am J Public Health; 93 (10): 1655-1671.
Krieger N, Williams DR, & Moss NE (1997). Measuring social class in U.S. public health research: Concepts, methodologies, and guidelines. Annu Rev Public Health, 18:341-378.
LaVeist T (2005). Disentangling race and socioeconomic status: A key to understanding health inequalities. J Urban Health; 82(2) S3: iii26-iii34.
Lin SS and Kelsey JL (2000). Use of race and ethnicity in epidemiologic research: Concepts, methodological issues, and suggestions for research. Epidemiol Reviews; 22(2): 187-202.
NCI Cancer Fact Sheet: Cancer Health Disparities: Fact Sheet.
Wallerstein NB & Duran B (2006). Using community-based participatory research to address health disparities. Health Promot Pract; 7(3): 1-12.
Wallerstein N, Duran B, Minkler M, & Foley K (2005). Developing and maintaining partnerships with communities. In BA Israel, E Eng, AJ Shulz, & EA Parker (Eds.), Methods in Community-Based Participatory Research for Health . San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and American Legacy Foundation are proud to fund the Tobacco Research Network on Disparities (TReND). Previous support has also been provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office on Women’s Health, NCI Office of Women’s Health, and the NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities.
