Abstract C033: Strengthening community impact through partner-led engagement and collective action
Abstract
Community Advisory Boards (CABs) can strengthen the design, implementation, and dissemination of evidence-based cancer education and outreach by ensuring programs are responsive to community priorities. The California-Florida Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Center partners with a CAB of cancer survivors, caregivers, and community health workers to co-develop and implement community-engaged cancer education initiatives that improve access to evidence-based information and resources. The CaRE2 Health Center Community Outreach Core (COC) collaborated with CAB members to implement three complementary outreach strategies: (1) Cancer Ambassador Trainings offered in English and Spanish; (2) the We CaRE2 Podcast, co-developed and hosted by a CAB member to disseminate evidence-based information on cancer prevention, screening, treatment, survivorship, and available resources; and (3) community outreach events conducted in trusted settings, including churches, YMCA branches, and Mexican Consulates. Community leaders delivered cancer education, promoted screening, and connected participants with diagnostic follow-up and clinical trial opportunities, when appropriate. Cancer Ambassador Trainings consisted of two-hour educational sessions covering cancer epidemiology, risk factors, early detection, treatment, survivorship, biospecimen donation, and health communication. Standardized pre- and post-training surveys evaluated changes in cancer knowledge, self-efficacy, and intention to disseminate information. The COC and CAB partnered to organize and host >15 Cancer Ambassador Trainings (2024–2026), reaching >100 participants, educating them on prostate, pancreatic, and lung cancers, and biospecimen donation. Participants showed significant post-training knowledge gains: prostate gland knowledge increased from 46.6% to 81.4% (p<0.001), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening from 39.7% to 66.1% (p=0.001), pancreatic cancer risk factors from 54.8% to 85.0% (p=0.001), and common staging at diagnosis from 61.9% to 90.0% (p=0.043). The We CaRE2 Podcast is available on 11 listening platforms and has generated more than 350 downloads. In Year 8, CAB members supported 27 outreach events by organizing, attending, and engaging with community members, reaching ∼1,200 individuals and yielding 54 referrals for cancer screening, diagnostic follow-up, or supportive services. Eduardo Ibarra, Carolina Aristizabal, Fern J. Webb, Sandra Suther, John Luque, Nazleen Del Rio, Brooke Vintilla, Rosa Barahona, Jennifer Tsui, Ji-Hyun Lee, Tuo Lin, Mariana C. Stern, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati. Strengthening community impact through partner-led engagement and collective action [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 19th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2026 Oct 18-21; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2026;35(10 Suppl):Abstract nr C033.