We are planning to establish a Black Health Disparities Working Group of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Community Cancer Action Board (CCAB). The overall purpose of this working group would be to encourage awareness about cancer outcomes and disparities affecting the black community by identifying and addressing the root cause of these disparities. The objectives for the working group include partnering with current organizations that serve the black community in New Jersey, encouraging participation of people from areas with high black populations in New Jersey and educating healthcare professionals on best practices when engaging with the black community.
Through partnership, collaboration and community advocacy, members of this group would create an initiative that focuses on the associations between race and social determinants of health including income, education access, and access to culturally competent healthcare providers. In addition, it would focus on some of the added barriers that many people within the black community are experiencing during the COVID pandemic, such as loss of employment, healthcare discrimination, loss of housing, and loss of health insurance coverage. The current vision for the group is to create a virtual conference that focuses on addressing the barriers to cancer screening in the black community. The conference would focus on the unique needs of men and women in the community and discuss strategies for improving screening uptake and cancer outcomes, especially during the COVID pandemic. This would include best practices for healthcare providers who engage with black populations, and spreading awareness about current organizations that serve the community. We can also create a resource guide that would contain more information about the topics discussed and any available services. Ideally, the resource guide and the conference would be available in both English and Spanish with Spanish subtitles and a Spanish version of the guide.
According to the data from the last US Census, the counties in New Jersey with the highest black populations include Essex, Mercer, Camden, Hudson, Passaic, Union and Burlington Counties. We plan to encourage participation in the working group from members of the black community who reside in these areas and the conference would also target people who dwell in these areas. We intend to engage religious groups, health and advocacy organizations, and social service agencies in these locations to build rapport and establish mutually beneficial relationships.
For more information about this working group, please contact:
Domonique Noel
Community Cancer Control Specialist
den37@cinj.rutgers.edu
office: (732) 235-9226