In Latin America, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among men and fourth most common cancer among women. Ecuador has experienced an upward trend in CRC incidence and mortality, highlighting the need to strengthen population-based prevention and early detection strategies. Previous studies in Ecuador recommended more comprehensive evaluations of CRC screening reach, effectiveness, and continuity of care. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design and collected data using quantitative surveys and individual interviews to explore perceived barriers and facilitators to CRC screening in Quito, Ecuador. For the survey data, bivariate analyses were performed to compare differences on CRC screening history (1 = yes; 2 = no). Categorical variables were compared using chi-square tests, and continuous variables, including scale variables, were compared using two sample t-tests. Independent variables based on previous work and that were identified to be related to CRC screening history in the bivariate analysis were then entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. Qualitative interview participants were asked about perceived causes of CRC, ways to reduce risk, the appropriate age to begin screening, and what types of CRC screening they had heard about or undergone. Content analysis was used to code the transcripts and generate themes from the interviews. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated at several stages. Bivariate analysis showed that individuals who had undergone screening had higher scores on negative beliefs about cancer (11.11 vs. 9.90; p=.03). CRC screening self-efficacy remained a significant independent variable in the multivariable model, showing that lower self-efficacy was associated with a lower probability of screening uptake (OR = 0.78; 95

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in the US with African Americans continuing to experience CRC health disparities due to numerous factors. While colonoscopy remains the most utilized test for CRC screening, stool-blood tests are cost-effective and offered by community health centers (CHC) serving un- and underinsured patients. Qualitative research has identified multilevel barriers to CRC screening and can potentially inform the development of tailored interventions to promote stool-based screening. In this qualitative study, we explored the CHC context for delivering CRC screening services and patient education by interviewing six stakeholders of two north Florida CHCs and conducted six focus groups among African American patients of the two CHCs who had recently completed a CRC screening. CHC stakeholders were identified for interviews by their organizational roles delivering CRC screening services and focus group participants were recruited from our previous CRC screening behavioral clinical trial study group participant pool. CHC stakeholders assessed their organizations’ delivery of CRC screening services, which included stool-based tests and colonoscopy referrals, and discussed trends in the screening rates achieved by their organizations. CHC stakeholders spoke about their patient education and outreach within the community and offered ideas about how community-based CRC screening education could be improved. CHCs highly valued the community-academic partnership, identifying numerous mutually beneficial aspects and embraced the ongoing partnership as a way to increase CRC screening adherence among their patients. The focus group discussions can be grouped into three main themes. The first theme is healthcare attitudes and relationships with providers. This theme covered perceptions of seeking healthcare and communication and trust with providers. The second theme is CRC knowledge and prevention. This theme covered patients’ knowledge about CRC, what symptoms to monitor, knowing their family history of cancer, and the different screening tests. The third theme is technological and systematic issues in healthcare. These discussions focused on health insurance and accessing the patient portal. This study demonstrated the value of community-engaged qualitative research on CRC screening delivery and completion in partnership with CHC stakeholders.

BACKGROUND:Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have detrimental health effects later in life. Our objective was to assess the association between ACEs and falls among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. METHODS:We used data from 38 437 participants aged 45 to 80 years from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The outcome was falling during the past 12 months. Adverse childhood experiences included questions about events before age 18, and 2 main domains of abuse (5 questions) and household dysfunction (6 questions), with a total score of 0 to 11, dichotomized as ≥2 ACEs versus 0-1. We assessed the association between ACEs and falling and explored whether risk factors for falling mediate the association between ACEs and falling. RESULTS:Among middle-aged adults (45-64 years), 22.3% had fallen, and 46.4% had ≥2 ACEs. Among older adults (≥65), 27.7% had fallen, and 31.7% had ≥2 ACEs. In multivariate analyses, participants with ≥2 ACEs have increased odds of falling compared to those with 0-1 ACEs among middle-aged (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34) and older adult participants (OR = 1.28). Even one individual ACE question, such as living with anyone who served in prison (among 45-64; OR = 1.43) or being sexually touched (among ≥65; OR = 1.45), has an independent association with falling. People with depression, functional difficulties, multimorbidity, and difficulty remembering exhibited higher proportions (%) for mediation. CONCLUSIONS:Adverse childhood experiences are an additional risk factor for falling among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Clinicians and public health practitioners should also consider ACEs when exploring determinants for falling across the life course.

In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rates are higher in African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites, partly due to advanced stage cancer diagnosis. Timely CRC screening helps to increase CRC early detection and survival in this population. The objective of this monitoring study was to survey African American patients of Community Health Centers (CHC) in north Florida and to monitor CRC screening adherence (either stool-based or colonoscopy) after they had completed a clinical trial testing a screening education intervention. Seventy-nine African American patients who were between the ages of 45 and 64 years old at the time of initial trial recruitment completed a 24-month follow-up survey, and 44

Colorectal cancer (CRC) disparities in incidence and mortality for African Americans compared to white Americans are explained by socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, and cultural factors in addition to lower screening rates and lower stage-specific survival. The behavioral clinical trial, “Test Up Now Education Program” (TUNE-UP) tested a community health advisor (CHA) intervention to increase stool-based screening in African American patients of community health centers (CHC) in Florida. Participants who were not up to date with CRC screening were randomized to two study arms after completing a baseline survey. The two experimental arms were (1) an intervention group which received adapted “Screen to Save” CRC education, a tailored brochure, and CHA education; and (2) a control group which received the brochure only. Participants were surveyed at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months follow-up. The primary outcome was completion of the stool test within the last year, measured by self-report. The secondary outcomes were CRC knowledge, CRC perceived susceptibility, and CRC screening self-efficacy. For each arm, the proportion of participants who received CRC screening by 12 months was calculated. McNemar’s chi-square test was used to test changes in dichotomous outcomes related to CRC screening. For outcome variables measured on a continuous scale, a paired t-test was applied to compare changes in mean values. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were used to compare effects of the intervention on secondary outcomes, adjusting for covariates and confounding factors. At 12 months (n = 93), completion of the stool test increased significantly among participants in both study arms, showing no difference; 27 out of 45 (60 https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04304001 .

Significant barriers to engaging underrepresented communities in cancer research are the limited access to information, misinformation, mistrust, and, at times, the absence of invitations to participate. Contact registries play a vital role in connecting community members with opportunities in cancer health research, they ensure that more people are informed and included in these efforts. With the use of contact registries, participants gain access to studies aligned with their interests; and have the freedom to choose to participate or not. While contact registries enable the large-scale recruitment of diverse participants, they also have a higher likelihood of attracting fraudulent enrollments. The likelihood drastically increases when an incentive is available upon enrollment. On July 2021 the Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center, Community Outreach Core (COC), developed a contact registry designed to engage Black/African American (B/AA) and/or Hispanic/Latinos/a (H/L) individuals in ongoing research studies conducted across our bicoastal center institutions which includes the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, the University of Florida, and the University of Southern California. Due to the increased challenges of internet-based recruitment, the study team has implemented methods to filter out fraudulent applications and confirm participant eligibility. The methods include 1) using a REDCap software feature (CAPTCHA) to prevent bots from enrolling, 2) individually reviewing each registry application for any errors, 3) checking for duplicate IP addresses, 4) Using external resources such as voter registration information, social media, and/or Google to verify identity information; and lastly, 5) calling each potential applicant and having them verify the information they provided. Each application is color-coded to identify whether it has been approved (green), denied (red), or pending (purple). Although internet-based recruitment poses a great risk to a study, it in turn provides a time and cost-effective option, allows for recruitment from multiple geographical areas, and facilitates the recruitment of a large number of participants. As of November 8th, 2024, 1, 408 participants have enrolled in the registry, representing 70% of the 2, 000 enrollment goal. Based on our experience with internet-based recruitment for contact registries, we recommend the following) Implement methods to verify applicant information 2) Utilize security features within the registry application. 3) Incorporate a phone screening process. 4) Consider leveraging external resources, such as Whitepages, for information verification. 5) Maintain detailed records of the verification process. IIeana Guzman, Nazleen Del Rio, Brooke Hensel, Eduardo Ibarra, Carolina Aristizabal, John Luque, Rosa Barahona, Diana Wilkie, Mariana C. Stern, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Sandra Suther, Fern Webb. Enhancing data integrity in contact registries: Methods for preventing fraudulent enrollment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 628.

The CaRE2 Health Equity Center’s Community Outreach Core (COC) provides internships to prepare students for meaningful careers in cancer health disparities by bridging classroom learning with community work. These internships equipped students with skills in data analysis, community outreach, cancer health education, and cultural humility. Tailored internships provide a unique opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in health equity research focused on eliminating cancer health disparities. As a full-time intern, one of my first activities was to create a work plan to include objectives, goals and anticipated deliverables of my internship. My orientation included completing ethics training and joining institutionally-approved research studies. I worked directly with community partners and received mentorship from leading scientists and researchers. I helped plan and implement health promotion programs, create materials and organize events designed to increase knowledge about cancer screening, treatment and prevention. I also contributed to outreach activities and analyzed program data which strengthened my skills and broader network in community health. My internship provided me with a comprehensive understanding of health disparities work, preparing me to make a lasting difference in the field. The internship aimed to yield lasting benefits by equipping aspiring health equity advocates with practical skills and opportunities to work directly with others committed to community impact. Interns are encouraged to share their innovative ideas and perspectives on CaRE2’s projects, further enhancing the effectiveness and relevance of its initiatives to meet community needs. Looking to the future, expanding CaRE2’s internship program to include students from all partner institutions Florida A&M University, the University of Florida, and the University of Southern California would further enhance the Center’s capacity to conduct research studies and educational programs. Currently, Florida A&M University hosts two 12-week public health internships annually with COC. Overall, interns contribute skills that support COC’s aims: increase the number of people informed and prepared to advocate for cancer research (aim 1), share information that increases awareness and knowledge about cancer prevention, screening and ongoing research (aim 2); and provides additional opportunities to disseminate cancer-related information. Internships like those offered by CaRE2 empower students to engage in health equity. These experiences prepare interns to carry forward culturally sensitive approaches, strengthening CaRE2’s legacy and contributions to a more inclusive healthcare future. For others considering an internship, seek programs with diverse, hands-on opportunities that are designed to help you define your career path and make a meaningful difference. Nazleen Del Rio, Brooke Hensel, Ileana Guzman, Eduardo Ibarra, Carolina Aristizabal, Rosa Barahona, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Mariana Stern, John Luque, Sandra Suther, Fern J. Webb. Integrating internships into the CaRE2 Health Equity Center: A pathway for developing future health equity leaders [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 6185.

Building healthy and trustworthy relationships between communities and researchers is essential for cancer research endeavors. Training community advocates in cancer research can increase capacity among community members to leverage networks, participate in research teams and/or boards, and increase knowledge and insights to I'm prove patient outcomes through increased participation in cancer research. The Florida-California Cancer Research Education and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center designed a Community Scientist Research Advocacy (CSRA) program to inform, educate, and empower community members to become cancer research advocates. Our program was specifically tailored for Black/African American (B/AA) and Hispanic/Latino/a (H/L) adults living in Florida or California. Primary program objectives were to increase human capacity for cancer research advocacy and increase multi-directional communication between cancer advocates with cancer survivors, community members, academic scientists, and policy makers. The CSRA program was delivered over a 10-week period, with a hybrid model compromised of 90% virtual sessions via Zoom to allow for joint participation across the two coasts, and one in-person experiential lab day at each of our three institutions from our partnership. Didactic online learning sessions covered topics including cancers that disproportionately affect medically underserved populations, participation in clinical trials, genomics, social determinants of health, tissue donation/biorepository, and ethics in research studies. Participants completed pre- and post-surveys to assess knowledge, self-efficacy, and program satisfaction and evaluation; and they also completed a mentored advocacy project upon completion of the program. We provided simultaneous Spanish interpretation during all sessions, and materials were translated and provided in both English and Spanish. The 2024 CSRA cohort (N=18) included 12 females and 6 males; 11 were B/AA and 7 were H/L, 11 were from Florida and 7 were from California. Participants were required to attend at least 80% of sessions including one mandatory in-person lab visit activity; leading to a 100% program completion. When comparison pre- and post-attendance surveys, participants showed increases in knowledge (p-value = 0.007) and self-efficacy (p-value = 0.3). Program satisfaction and evaluation were rated as high. In summary, our program demonstrates the effectiveness of training community members to become cancer research advocates to help reduce the burden of inequities in cancer research and care. CSRA programs increase communication between scientists and communities to bring education and awareness about clinical studies and cancer research. Thus, promoting diverse participation in cancer studies, and eventually reducing cancer health disparities. Carolina Aristizabal, Fern Webb, Sandra Suther, John Luque, Eduardo Ibarra, Nazleen Del Rio, Ileana Guzman, Brooke Hensel, Janet Rodriguez, Rosa Barahona, Mariana Stern, Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati. Building bridges between communities and cancer researchers through the CaRE2 Health Equity Center Community Scientist Research Advocacy Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 631.

Background:In 2023, Florida Senate Bill (SB) 1718 was covered by national newspapers as the issue of immigration enforcement was a key issue during the presidential campaign. Examining SB 1718 through the lens of crimmigration, or how immigration law and criminal matters increasingly converge and overlap, reveals that such laws aim to criminalize undocumented immigrants. Media framing shapes public perceptions about immigrants' perceived otherness, and these perceptions are leveraged by some politicians to strategically use the issue of immigration as a talking point or political campaign issue. Methods:A ProQuest newspaper article search was used to identify articles with the search terms, "Florida," "immigration," and "law" and the date range of June 1 to August 16, 2023. A text-driven newspaper analysis of word frequencies and a thematic analysis of media framing was used to identify arguments supporting or opposing the law. The thematic analysis used a deductive approach to coding based on a prior codebook. Results:The article search generated 36 relevant newspaper articles relevant to the Florida immigration law. The law spurred opposition from businesses in the agriculture, construction, and tourism sectors for exacerbating an already tight labor market. Political supporters of the law argued that it protected borders, created a legal workforce, and saved taxpayer money. Conclusion:This research identifies media argument framings and compares these arguments with media coverage over a decade ago when similar laws were passed in Arizona and Georgia to critically examine the evolution of these types of laws through the lens of crimmigration.

The purpose of this study was to produce a culturally sensitive COVID-19 curriculum for primarily African Americans related to the risks of the health impacts of COVID-19. Community engagement was initiated to deliver risk communication for COVID-19 to community trainers who, in turn, recruited and trained additional community trainers. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Training investigators conducted training from May 2021 through January 2023. A total of twenty community trainers were trained over a two-year period for 2021 and 2023. Community trainers recruited and trained two hundred additional trainers (one hundred trainers for each year). Data were collected in Qualtrics. © and evaluated the effectiveness of the training delivered to the community trainers measuring learning gains. The differences between pre-and post-learning gains (n=146) were positive (+451 learning gains difference; average learning gain (8.8%). The pre-post median number of correct answers improved (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.001). Eighteen questions (out of 35) had substantial differences in proportions at the α=.05 level (McNemar test). The overall train-the-trainer community training satisfaction survey had a mean of 4.7 (±0.7), indicating high satisfaction of the community trainers. Community trainers improved their knowledge of COVID-19 risks. These behavioral and preventative measures, such as social distancing, wearing face masks, adopting sanitation, adhering to quarantine-isolation practices, rejecting misinformation, and discussing the pros and cons of vaccinations and boosters, likely prevented some COVID-19 infections.

Abstract Background: One of the most common barriers in community participant engagement in cancer research is lack of information, and at times, not being invited to participate. Contact Registries serve as a valuable tool to address this challenge, as they connect community members with cancer health research opportunities. Potential participants can choose to participate in studies they find of interest and are prime candidates for. The Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center, Community Outreach Core (COC), developed a contact registry designed to engage Black/African American (B/AA) and/or Hispanic/Latinos/a (H/L) individuals in ongoing research studies conducted across our bicoastal center institutions which includes the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University of Florida, and the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. The CaRE2 Contact Registry was implemented in August 2022 by the CaRE2 COC, with the primary objective to increase the number of underrepresented minority individuals participating in cancer research. Methods: Individuals are recruited into the registry utilizing both in-person and online methods. Information is provided in English and Spanish, and data is stored on REDCap. For in-person enrollment, a consent form and OPT-IN survey is completed; our online recruitment utilizes additional screening questions to ensure eligibility. The COC in Florida and Los Angeles promote the registry at local community events and through social media accounts and website (https://care2healthequitycenter.org/the-care2-contact-registry/). A $10.00 physical or electronic gift card is provided as compensation. Results: As of April 30th, 2024, 1,328 individuals have enrolled in the Registry, with participants from FL (887 = 69.5%) and CA (389 = 30.5%); with 737 participants being B/AA (57.8%), 506 H/L (39.7%), 26 non-Hispanic White (2.0%), and 6 individuals self-identified as other race/ethnicity (0.5%). We enrolled 873 female (68.5%) and 402 male (31.5%) participants. A total of 90.4% of enrollees are willing to participate in health research involving surveys, 23% in health research studies requiring saliva (24.1%), hair (23.4%), or blood (22%) sample donations. When registrants were asked for future research interest 99.9% responded Yes. Conclusion: Community participants have a high interest in engaging in research studies regardless of race/ethnicity if its via surveys, attending focus groups, and/or joining community forums. There is greater hesitancy when asked to provide biospecimens (blood, hair or saliva). Mechanisms to understand the reasons for this hesitancy, and address them, to appropriately incentivize individuals about donation of biospecimens are needed. Community efforts that connect potential enrollees to cancer studies of interest can support increased participation in cancer research among B/AA and H/L communities. Citation Format: Carolina Aristizabal, Eduardo Ibarra, Fern Webb, IIeana Guzman, Brooke Hensel, John Luque, Rosa Barahona, Diana Wilkie, Mariana C Stern, Sandra Suther, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati. The CaREhealth equity center Contact Registry: Engaging underrepresented community participants in cancer research [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A110.

Anthropologists are moving away from viewing anthropology as a solitary affair towards collaborative research, which values knowledge co-production with community members from research design to data analysis and write-up. By including the people who know most about the field site, participatory research seeks to confront power imbalances and advance social change. Building the capacity of students to fully engage with community partners is critical and requires hands-on training with methods that promote community participation. Yet, issues such as time constraints, insufficient institutional support, and the lack of formal training hinder the use and teaching of participatory research methods. Anthropologists can take advantage of the renewed enthusiasm for using participatory techniques, seen as instrumental for fostering social justice, to help tackle these barriers and promote new teaching in participatory methods in the field of Anthropology.

Abstract The prostate cancer short training was designed to empower cancer survivors, their families, and advocates by providing comprehensive insights into prostate cancer research, prevention, and practical advocacy strategies. Participants were equipped with effective communication methodologies to disseminate information to their close circles and broader networks, thereby establishing a reputable source of information within their communities. The primary aim was to develop and evaluate a bilingual program focused on educating and empowering individuals within Hispanic/Latino communities to advocate for prostate cancer awareness. Sessions were conducted in both English and Spanish, and materials were culturally tailored to the Hispanic/Latino demographic. The overarching objectives included educating on risk factors, screening techniques and reinforcing advocacy for prostate cancer awareness. This training aspired to cultivate an inclusive community of informed advocates, advancing cancer awareness, support systems, and treatment accessibility. The Prostate Cancer Short Training served as an exclusive standalone session structured to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge regarding prostate cancer. It was delivered by the Florida California CaRE2 Health Equity Center, a partnership comprising three universities, the Florida A&M University, the University of Florida, and the University of Southern California. The training addresses prostate cancer and its disproportionate impact among thee Hispanic/Latino population. Pre- and post-tests were applied to assess participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, and intent to disseminate prostate cancer information. We present data from the 2024 Prostate Cancer Training pilot cohort (pre, N=11, post, N=11). The 11 participants were all of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity with 81.8% female participants and 18.2% male respectively. Participants demonstrated a notable increase in knowledge, with a 72% difference in correct responses between pre and post-assessment. No decline was observed in post-test scores. Our statistical analysis on knowledge, yielded p-values of 0.013, 0.13, 0.041, 0.074, >0.9, 0.041, and >0.9. Furthermore, there was an increase in self-efficacy and intention to disseminate cancer information among participants. In conclusion, we present findings from a Prostate Cancer Short Training pilot program designed for Hispanic/Latino adults, aimed at fostering advocacy within this demographic. Additionally, we underscore the significance of short training initiatives within the community to further support the overarching mission of eliminating cancer health disparities, particularly concerning Hispanic/Latino men, within the program's context. Citation Format: Ileana Guzman, Nazleen Del Rio, Brooke Hensel, Carolina Aristizabal, Eduardo Ibarra, Rosa Barahona, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Mariana C. Stern, Sandra Suther, John Luque, Fern J. Webb. Empowering communities: Prostate cancer short training pilot program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B106.

Introduction:COVID-19 infects minority groups with comorbidities at higher rates than whites. In addition, children are at risk of vaccine hesitancy based on parents' acceptance and due to disparity. About twenty percent of workers would get vaccinated, especially if required by work. Methods:A community survey was created and distributed in Qualtrics© to focus on vaccine hesitancy. We collected demographics, attitudes, knowledge, and acceptance of vaccines on a post-survey following COVID-19 training from July 2021 through January 2023. The number of participants in the survey was 159. Results:Women comprised 81.8% of the survey participants. The sample included African Americans (73.6%), Latinos (25.8%), Non-Hispanic whites (16.4%), Native Americans (1.9%), and Asians (1.6%). In addition, 93.6% spoke English and 16.4% spoke Spanish. The medical plans documented were 63% private insurance, 15.3% Medicare, 10.2% Medicaid, and 11.5% no coverage. The vaccine training post-survey demonstrated correct knowledge scores ranged from 79.2% to 94.7%. The documented attitude was 6.3% for those who did not want the vaccine, 6.3% believed the vaccine was not safe, and 10% for those concerned with the side effects. Conclusion:After the training, participants gained a strong knowledge of the concepts that the trainer presented to them. A small number of individuals had a reduced attitude toward vaccination.

Abstract Contact Registries can serve as key tools in connecting community members to cancer health research opportunities. Members of underrepresented groups who enroll in a contact registry can choose to participate in studies they find interesting, provided they are an ideal candidate for participation. However, limited information exists regarding the types of studies underrepresented groups would want to participate in. The Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center Community Outreach Core (COC) created a contact registry of community members self-identifying as Black/African American (B/AA) and/or Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) persons who are interested in learning about future research studies conducted at CaRE2 institutions. The CaRE2 Contact Registry was implemented in August 2022 by the CaRE2 COC, one of the six (6) key cores within the CaRE2 Center. COC’s primary objective is to increase the number of persons participating in cancer research, which ultimately produces findings more applicable to the broader, diverse population of B/AA and H/L communities in both Florida and California. Our study team promotes the registry at local community events and through our center’s social media accounts and website (https://care2healthequitycenter.org/the-care2-contact-registry/). Recruitment consists of both in-person and online methods provided in both Spanish and English with data stored on REDCap, an online data repository system. For in-person enrollment, a consent/authorization form and OPT-IN survey are completed; meanwhile, our online recruitment requires additional screening to ensure eligibility. Eligibility requires that the person resides in 1) either California or Florida, 2) be 18+ years old, and 3) identify as B/AA or H/L. In addition to collecting contact and demographic information, participants can choose their research study interests. For example, they can choose to participate in surveys, community forums, focus groups, a cancer advocacy training program, and/or to provide a hair, saliva, or blood sample. A $10.00 gift card, either in a physical or electronic format, was provided to each confirmed enrollee. As of November 13, 2023, 1,269 persons have enrolled, representing 63% of the 2,000 enrollment goal. While 92% of registry enrollees are willing to participate in health research involving surveys, only 20% are willing to participate in health research studies requiring saliva (23%), hair (22%), or blood (20%) donations. In conclusion, registry enrollees, regardless of race or ethnicity, have a high interest in participating in studies involving completing surveys or attending focus groups. However, efforts must continue to increase participation willingness for research involving biospecimen donation. Future efforts will also include connecting enrollees to cancer health-related research studies of their interest. Citation Format: Fern Webb, IIeana Guzman, Brooke Hensel, Eduardo Ibarra, Carolina Aristizabal, John Luque, Rosa Barahona, Diana Wilkie, Mariana C. Stern, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Sandra Suther. Contact registry for health-related cancer research: Promoting inclusion in research [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 1003.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related death among African Americans in the United States. However, when detected early, CRC is treatable and survival rates are high. CRC health disparities for African Americans compared with other groups may be due in part to lower screening adherence and later stage diagnosis. The objective of this research phase was to test predictors of ever having received CRC screening (i.e., self-report of lifetime receipt of CRC screening) using survey measures in the domains of healthcare communication, trust in doctors, CRC perceived susceptibility, CRC worry, negative cancer beliefs, CRC screening self-efficacy, and cultural constructs for CRC screening in a sample of African American community health center patients. The study recruited 115 African American patients between the ages of 45 to 64 years old from community health centers in north Florida to complete the baseline survey. Our results show significant differences in CRC screening history by age, marital status, level of mistrust of healthcare providers, and level of empowerment toward cancer screening. To increase CRC screening in this population, the study findings suggest development of intervention programs that focus on priority populations of younger, unmarried African Americans, especially given the current trend of early onset CRC. Moreover, survival rates are lower for unmarried and younger African Americans relative to older and married individuals. Such interventions should also aim to increase trust in healthcare providers and increase empowerment for CRC screening decision making to increase screening participation.

Introduction Multimorbidity is a prevalent worldwide problem among older adults. Our objective was to assess the association between life -course racial discrimination and multimorbidity among older adults in Colombia. Methods We used data from the SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento) Colombia Study in 2015 (N = 18,873), a national cross-sectional survey among adults aged 60 years or older. The outcome was multimorbidity, defined as having 2 or more chronic conditions.The main independent variables were 3 racial discrimination measures: 1) everyday racial discrimination (yes or no), 2) child-hood racial discrimination score (scored from 0 [never] to 3 [many times]), and 3) situations of racial discrimination in the last 5 years (scored from 0 to 4 as a sum of the number of situations [group activities, public places, inside the family, health centers]). Other variables were sociodemographic characteristics, diseases, eco-nomic or health adversity during childhood, and functional status. We used weighted logistic regression analyses to adjust for differ-ences between groups. Results Multivariate logistic regression models showed that multimorbid-ity was significantly associated with experiencing everyday racial discrimination (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.62-3.02), childhood racial discrimination (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.47), and the number of situations of racial discrimination (OR= 1.56; 95% CI, 1.22-2.00). Multimorbidity was also independently associated with multimor-bidity during childhood. Conclusion Racial discrimination experiences were associated with higher odds of multimorbidity among older adults in Colombia. Strategies to decrease life course experiences of racial discrimina-tion may improve the health of older adults.