Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Nucleus Accumbens Volume and Youth Tobacco or Marijuana Use Following Stressful Life Events.

Background: Exposure to stressful life events (SLEs) can upset balance and affect the healthy brain development of children and youths. These events may influence substance use by altering brain reward systems, especially the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which plays a key role in motivated behaviors and reward processing. The interaction between sensitization to SLEs, depression, and substance use might vary between male and female youths, potentially due to differences in how each sex responds to SLEs. Aims: This study aims to examine the effect of sex on the relationship between SLEs, Nucleus Accumbens activity, and substance use in a nationwide sample of young individuals. Methods: We utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (ABCD), a longitudinal study of pre-adolescents aged 9-10 years, comprising 11,795 participants tracked over 36 months. Structured interviews measuring SLEs were conducted using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Initial linear regression analyses explored if SLEs could predict volumes of the right and left NAc. Subsequently, Cox regression models were used to investigate how SLEs and NAc volume might predict the initiation of tobacco and marijuana use, with the analysis stratified by sex to address potential sex differences. Results: Our findings reveal that SLEs significantly predicted marijuana use in males but not in females, and tobacco use was influenced by SLEs in both sexes. A higher number of SLEs was linked with decreased left NAc volume in males, a trend not seen in females. The right NAc volume did not predict substance use in either sex. However, volumes of both the right and left NAc were significant predictors of future tobacco use, with varying relationships across sexes. In females, an inverse relationship was observed between both NAc volumes and the risk of tobacco use. In contrast, a positive correlation existed between the left NAc volume and tobacco and marijuana use in males, with no such relationship for females. Conclusion: This study underscores that the associations between SLEs, NAc volume, and subsequent substance use are influenced by a nuanced interplay of sex, brain hemisphere, and substance type.

What is Common Becomes Normal; Black-White Variation in the Effects of Adversities on Subsequent Initiation of Tobacco and Marijuana During Transitioning into Adolescence.

Background: While adversities across domains of finance, race, family, and life may operate as risk factors for initiation of substance use in adolescents, the influence of these factors may vary across racial groups of youth. Unfortunately, the existing knowledge is minimal about racial differences in the types of adversities that may increase the risk of subsequent substance use initiation during the transition into adolescence. Aim: To compare racial groups for the effects of adversities across domains of finance, race, family, and life on subsequent substance use initiation among pre-adolescents transitioning into adolescence. Methods: In this longitudinal study, we analyzed data from 6003 non-Latino White and 1562 non-Latino African American 9-10-year-old children transitioning into adolescence. Data came from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Participants were followed for up to thirty-six months as they transitioned to adolescence. The independent variables were adversities related to the domains of finance, race, family, and life. The primary outcomes were time to first tobacco or marijuana use. Age, puberty, and gender were confounders. Cox regression models were used for data analysis. Results: For White youth, tobacco use was under influence of having two parents in the household (HR = .611; 95% CI = .419-.891), parental education (HR = .900; 95% CI = .833-.972), household income (HR = .899; 95% CI = .817-.990), racial stress (HR = 1.569; 95% CI = 1.206-2.039), and life stress (HR =1.098 ; 95% CI = 1.024-1.178) and marijuana use was under influence of neighborhood income (HR = .576; 95% CI = .332-.999) and financial stress (HR =4.273; 95% CI = 1.280-17.422). No adverse condition predicted tobacco or marijuana use of African American youth. Conclusion: The effects of adversities on substance use depend on race. While various types of adversities tend to increase subsequent initiation of tobacco and marijuana, such factors may be less influential for African American adolescents, who experience more of such adversities. What is common may become normal.

Household Income and Subsequent Youth Tobacco Initiation: Minorities' Diminished Returns.

Introduction: Household income, a prominent socioeconomic status (SES) indicator, is known to mitigate youth engagement in various health risk behaviors, including tobacco use. Nevertheless, the Minorities' Diminished Returns theory suggests that this protective effect may be less pronounced for racial and ethnic minorities compared to majority groups. This study aimed to investigate the protective role of high household income against tobacco use among youth and explore potential variations across different racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Conducted as a longitudinal analysis, this study utilized data from the initial three years of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study spanning 2016-2022. The cohort consisted of 11,875 American youth aged 9-10 years, tracked over a three-year period. The dependent variable was tobacco initiation, irrespective of the product, while household income served as the independent variable. Covariates included youth age, gender, family education, structure, and employment, with race/ethnicity acting as the moderating variable. Results: Out of the 8,754 American youth who were non-smokers at baseline, 3.1% (n = 269) initiated tobacco use during the 30-month follow-up, while 96.9% (n = 8,485) remained non-smokers. A family income exceeding $100,000 per year was associated with a lower hazard ratio for tobacco initiation (transitioning to ever-use) over the follow-up period (HR = 0.620, p = 0.022). However, household income of $50-100k exhibited significant interactions with race/ethnicity on tobacco initiation, indicating weaker protective effects for Black (HR for interaction = 7.860, p < 0.001) and Latino (HR for interaction = 3.461, p = 0.001) youth compared to non-Latino White youth. Conclusions: Within the United States, the racialization and minoritization of youth diminish the protective effects of economic resources, such as high household income, against the transition to tobacco use. Non-Latino White youth, the most socially privileged group, experience greater protection from their elevated household income regarding tobacco initiation compared to Black and Latino youth, who face minoritization and racialization. Policymakers should address not only the SES gap but also the mechanisms contributing to the heightened risk of tobacco use among racialized and minoritized youth from affluent backgrounds.

Monday-Enhanced CEASE Program for Underserved Ethnic Minorities: a Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the persistence of tobacco-related health disparities in the U.S., there is a need for innovative strategies to reach the underserved ethnic minority populations who are most at risk. As contemplations for health behavior modification tend to surge on Mondays, we explored the feasibility and effect of a Monday-enhanced smoking cessation program on quitting outcomes in a low-income ethnic minority community. AIMS: To compare a Monday-enhanced with a standard Communities Engaged and Advocating for a Smoke-free Environment (CEASE) program and understand the overall experiences of participants in the program. METHODS: In this mixed-methods study, affordable housing complexes (n = 4) and a church were randomly assigned either a Monday-enhanced (n = 3) or standard (n = 2) CEASE smoking cessation program. CEASE comprised twelve weekly group counseling sessions facilitated by trained peer motivators plus nicotine replacement products. Participants in the Monday-enhanced arm were encouraged to pick Mondays as a quitting day. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected during the program and at 3-month post-graduation. RESULTS: Seventy-seven participants were enrolled in the study arms. In both groups combined, tobacco consumption reduced from 7.7 to 5.6 cig/day (mean reduction, 2.1; 95% CI: 0.9 to 5.1, p = 0.08). Although no significant difference in quit rate was observed between the two arms, more participants completed the follow-up survey in the Monday-enhanced than standard CEASE program [82.4% vs. 36.0%, p < 0.05]. While qualitative data suggested an overall satisfaction of participants with the program, motivation for quitting was higher in the Monday-enhanced CEASE program compared to the standard CEASE program. CONCLUSION: The Monday-enhanced program is promising and may enhance participants' engagement and willingness to quit smoking, particularly in low-income ethnic minority communities. Further research should include larger sample sizes to better assess the efficacy of a Monday-enhanced program across diverse populations.

Promoting Health Research among Underrepresented Students through the HUI SRC.

The Hawai'i Pacific University Undergraduate Infrastructure Student Research Center (HUI SRC) is focused on increasing participation of historically underrepresented populations, such as Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders (NHPI), and Filipinos, in tomorrow's biomedical and health research workforce. This is achieved by promoting engagement and competency in entrepreneurial biomedical and health research among undergraduate students. The HUI SRC was modeled after the Morgan State University ASCEND SRC funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The HUI SRC is rooted in the Hawaiian cultural values of ho'oku'i, hui pu'ana, and lokahi, referring to the physical gathering space of the Student Research Center and the joining of people together around a unifying theme, in this case the pursuit of science. It is committed to intentionally engaging Indigenous knowledge and ways of doing in decolonizing research. This article describes the project and presents evaluation findings of the first year of implementation of the HUI SRC. The center was effective in increasing undergraduate students' science identity, academic self-concept, social self-concept, social support, peer support, and self-efficacy. These HUI SRC findings highlight the potential impact of undergraduate SRCs in expanding the pipeline of biomedical and health researchers from underrepresented populations, particularly among NHPI and Filipinos.

Strategies for Improving Enrollment of Diverse Populations with a Focus on Lipid-Lowering Clinical Trials.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We review under-representation of key demographic groups in cardiovascular clinical trials, focusing on lipid-lowering trials. We outline multilevel strategies to recruit and retain diverse populations in cardiovascular trials. RECENT FINDINGS: Barriers to participation in trials occur at the study, participant, health system, sponsor, and policy level, requiring a multilevel approach to effectively increase participation of under-represented groups in research. Increasing the representation of marginalized and under-represented groups in leadership positions in clinical trials can ensure that their perspectives and experiences are considered. Trial design should prioritize patient- and community-indicated needs. Women and individuals from racially/ethnically diverse populations remain under-represented in lipid-lowering and other cardiovascular clinical trials relative to their disease burden in the population. This limits the generalizability of trial results to the broader population in clinical practice. Collaboration between community stakeholders, researchers, and community members can facilitate shared learning about trials and build trust.

Black Americans' Diminished Return of Educational Attainment on Tobacco Use in Baltimore City.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as educational attainment are fundamental factors affecting health. One mechanism through which education affects health is by reducing the likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors such as smoking. However, according to the marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs) theory, the association between education and health may be weaker for marginalized populations such as Black than White, primarily due to racism and discrimination. However, little is known about the racial variations in the differential associations between educational attainment and tobacco use in a local setting. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the differential association between educational attainment and tobacco use among racial groups in a community sample in Baltimore City. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from a community survey conducted in 2012-2013 in Baltimore City among adults aged 18 years or older. The participants were 3501 adults. Univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata to investigate the racial difference in the association between education and two outcomes: current smoking status and menthol tobacco product use. RESULTS: The study found that adults with a graduate degree were less likely to be current smokers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08-0.13) and menthol tobacco users (AOR: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.07-0.14) compared to those with less than high school diploma. The inverse associations between educational attainment and current smoking (AOR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.05-3.21) and menthol tobacco product use (AOR: 4.73, 95% CI: 2.07-10.80) were weaker for Back individuals than those who were White. CONCLUSION: Due to MDRs of educational attainment, while highly educated White adults show a low risk of tobacco use, educated Black adults remain at a disproportionately increased risk. The study emphasizes the need for better policies and programs that address minorities' diminished return of education for tobacco use.

Can everyone hear me? Reflections on the use of global online workshops for promoting inclusive knowledge generation.

Online research methods have risen in popularity over recent decades, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. We conducted five online workshops capturing the experiences of participatory health researchers in relation to power, as part of a collaborative project to develop global knowledge systems on power in participatory health research. These workshops included predominantly academic researchers working in 24 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Here, we reflect on the opportunities, limitations, and key considerations of using online workshops for knowledge generation and shared learning. The online workshop approach offers the potential for cross-continental knowledge exchange and for the amplification of global South voices. However, this study highlights the need for deeper exploration of power dynamics exposed by online platform use, particularly the 'digital divide' between academic partners and community co-researchers. Further research is needed to better understand the role of online platforms in generating more inclusive knowledge systems.

Efficacy of a Smoking Cessation Program for Underserved Ethnic Minority Communities: Results of a Smoking Cessation Trial.

Objectives: Using a participatory research approach, this study reports the efficacy of the Communities Engaged and Advocating for a Smoke-free Environment (CEASE)-4 intervention offered by the local peers. Methods: CEASE-4 is a theory-based tobacco-cessation intervention, tailored to the needs of underserved populations. 842 tobacco users self-selected into: a) self-help (n = 472), b) single-session class (n = 163), and c) four-session class (n = 207). While self-help group only received educational materials, curriculum for other arms was built on the social cognitive, motivational interviewing, and trans-theoretical- frameworks. Participants could also receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Outcome was self-reported smoking cessation measured 12 weeks after completion of the intervention, validated by exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) test. Results: Quit rate was statistically different across groups, with highest quit rate in four-session and lowest quit rate in self-help arm. Cessation rates at follow up (12 weeks after completion of the intervention) were 2.3% in the self-help arm, 6.1% in the single-session arm and 13.0% in the four-session arm. Conclusion: While theory-based smoking cessation services are effective for underserved populations, four-session curriculum might be superior to a single session program.

Lessons learned to improve COVID-19 response in communities with greatest socio-economic vulnerabilities.

BACKGROUND: Vulnerable communities are susceptible to and disproportionately affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the challenges faced, perceptions, lessons learned, and recommendations of the organizations that provide services in response to COVID-19 to vulnerable communities is critical to improving emergency response and preparedness in these communities. METHODS: This study employed GIS mapping to identify the needs and assets that exist in communities in Baltimore City, where vulnerabilities related to social determinants of health and the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic were greatest. We also conducted an online survey between September 1, 2021, and May 30, 2022, to assess the COVID-19-related services provided by local organizations, challenges faced, perceptions, lessons learned, and recommendations to inform policies, programs, and funding related to improving the COVID-19 response in underserved communities. The survey was disseminated through the online Kobo Toolbox platform to leaders and representatives of organizations in Baltimore City. RESULTS: Based on GIS mapping analysis, we identified three communities as the most vulnerable and 522 organizations involved in the COVID-19 response across Baltimore City. 247 surveys were disseminated, and 50 survey responses were received (20.24% response rate). Out of these organizations, nearly 80% provided services in response to COVID-19 to the identified vulnerable communities. Challenges experienced ranged from funding (29%), and outreach/recruitment (26%), to not having access to updated and accurate information from local officials (32%). CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights critical insights gained related to the experiences of vulnerable populations and suggests ways forward to address challenges faced during the emergency response by providing recommendations for policy and program changes. Furthermore, the findings will help better prepare vulnerable communities for public health emergencies and build more community resilience.

A Student-Centered, Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) Undergraduate Summer Research Program: Foundational Training for Health Research.

Increasing the participation of students of African descent and other minoritized populations in the scientific workforce is imperative in generating a more equitable biomedical research infrastructure and increasing national research creativity and productivity. Undergraduate research training programs have shown to be essential tools in retaining underrepresented minority (URM) students in the sciences and attracting them into STEM and biomedical careers. This paper describes an innovative approach to harness students' entrepreneurial desire for autonomy and creativity in a Summer Research Institute (SRI) that has served as an entry point into a multiyear, National Institutes of Health Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (NIH BUILD)-funded research training program. The SRI was designed as an 8-week, student-centered and course-based research model in which students select their own research topics. We test here the effects of SRI training on students' science self-efficacy and science identity, along with several other constructs often associated with academic outcomes in the sciences. The data shown here comprise analysis of four different training cohorts throughout four subsequent summers. We show significant gains in students' science self-efficacy and science identity at the conclusion of SRI training, as well as academic adjustment and sense of belonging. SRI participants also displayed substantially improved retention in their science majors and graduation rates.

Small CBPR Grants Program: An Innovative Model to Build Sustainable Academic-Community Partnerships.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an effective approach for addressing health disparities by integrating diverse knowledge and expertise from both academic and community partners throughout the research process. However, more is needed to invest in the foundational infrastructure and resources that are necessary for building and maintaining lasting trusting research partnerships and supporting them to generate impactful CBPR-based research knowledge and solutions. Small CBPR Grants Program is a CBPR-seed-funding program that may be particularly helpful to minority-serving institutions' and universities' goal to invest in genuine community-engaged participatory research. Between 2016 and 2019, the Morgan State University Prevention Sciences Research Center, in collaboration with other community and academic organizations, provided 14 small CBPR awards to new partnerships, and evaluated the success and challenges of the program over a period of three years. To achieve our goal, technical support and training were provided to these partnerships to help with their growth and success. The expected outcomes included trusting relationships and equitable partnerships, as well as publications, presentations, and new proposals and awards to work on mutually identified issues. The program's resulted in continued partnerships beyond the program (in most cases), a founded CBPR Center namely ASCEND, and several secured additional fundings. Keys to the program's success were supporting the formation of research partnerships through networking opportunities and information sessions, as well as providing small grants to incentivize the development of innovative concepts and projects. A learning network and local support group were also created to enhance productivity and the overall impact of each project.

Race by Education Intersectional Differences in Exposure to Tobacco Advertisement in Baltimore City.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the intersectional effects of race and educational attainment on tobacco advertising exposure among adults in Baltimore, given the growing evidence on differential influence of education for Black and White populations. Methods: A survey was conducted in Baltimore, collecting data on educational attainment, demographics, and tobacco advertising exposure among adults (n = 3028, 22.7% 18 - 29, 17.9% 30 - 39, 23.4% 40 - 49, 20.9% 50-59, and 11.1% 60+ years old). The sample included both Black and White adult individuals. Logistic regression analyses were employed to assess the association between educational attainment and tobacco advertising exposure, without and with interaction with race, adjusting for relevant covariates such as age, gender, and employment. Sensitivity analysis also controlled for smoking status. Results: The study results indicated that while high educational attainment is associated with less exposure to tobacco ads, highly educated Black adults report significantly higher tobacco advertising exposure compared to highly educated White adults. Same results were observed after controlling for smoking status. Conclusion: Educational attainment may not exhibit a large protective effect against environmental risks such as tobacco ad exposure for Black populations, possibly because of segregation and racism that hinder highly educated Black people ability to move to low-risk neighborhoods.

An Innovative Biomedical Research Training Model: Rationale, Design, and Evaluation.

Much is told regarding the need for greater diversity in the biomedical research workforce in terms of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. However, there are few evidence-based models that are tested and can have significant effects in this regard. Thus, there is a need for development and evaluation of innovative models that may help train a more diverse biomedical research workforce. In this study, we provided the rationale, conceptual model, and preliminary evaluation of a program called "A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND)". This training program was designed, implemented, and evaluated between 2017 and 2020 at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The program's conceptual model is based on four stages: Attraction and Inspiration, Ideation and Innovation, Research Implementation, and Career Growth. Results of the comparative survey between 50 students who participated in ASCEND and 86 non-member controls showed an increase in science identity, academic self-concept, science self-efficacy, and peer support. The only domain that did not show a larger increase in participants in our program compared to controls was social self-concept. In addition, a total of 59 students submitted 48 research concepts, and 16 undergraduate student projects were funded. Of participants in the Health Research Concepts Competition, 39 students graduated, and 13 were pursuing graduate programs in STEM fields at the time of evaluation. The number of research projects and trainees who started a graduate degree were also reported. The ASCEND training model fosters an entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate students. Such a program might be effective in diversifying the biomedical research workforce. While this preliminary evaluation indicates the efficacy of the ASCEND model, there is a need for further long-term and multi-center evaluations with the trainees' research productivity and receipt of independent funding as outcomes.

Building Capacity for Community-Academia Research Partnerships by Establishing a Physical Infrastructure for Community Engagement: Morgan CARES.

Research partnerships between universities and communities following the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) have the potential to eliminate cycles of health disparities. The purpose of this article is to describe the process of establishing a community-campus network with a distinct mission and vision of developing trusting and successful research partnerships that are sustained and effective. In 2019, Morgan CARES was established to facilitate community engagement by founding a community center "within" a low-income residential neighborhood as a safe and accessible hub for creating a vibrant learning community. A community needs assessment and asset mapping was conducted and several necessary resources and services were provided to maximize networking opportunities, nurture innovative ideas and proposals, and provide seed funding. Lessons learned informed the optimization of a theoretical model that has guided the development and implementation of the program's key components. By December 2021, Morgan CARES had recruited 222 community and 137 academic members representing diverse expertise from across Baltimore City. We also successfully established new partnerships and funded a total of 17 small community-academic awards. Although in its early stages, Morgan CARES has established a dynamic learning community following a conceptual framework that could guide future similar initiatives.

Storytelling training to promote stakeholder engagement in research dissemination.

Storytelling is increasingly recognized as a culturally relevant, human-centered strategy and has been linked to improvements in health knowledge, behavior, and outcomes. The Community Engagement Program of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research designed and implemented a storytelling training program as a potentially versatile approach to promote stakeholder engagement. Data collected from multiple sources, including participant ratings, responses to open-ended questions, and field notes, consistently pointed to high-level satisfaction and acceptability of the program. As a next step, the storytelling training process and its impact need to be further investigated.

Peer mentoring for smoking cessation in public housing: A mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Tobacco use disproportionately affects low-income African American communities. The recent public housing smoke-free policy has increased the demand for effective smoking cessation services and programs in such settings. Methods: This mixed-method pilot study explored feasibility and potential impact of a peer-mentoring program for smoking cessation in a public housing unit. The quantitative study used a quasi-experimental design while qualitative data were collected via focus group discussions with peer mentors and participants. Three residents of the public housing complex were trained as peer mentors. Each peer mentor recruited up to 10 smokers in the residence and provided them individual support for 12 weeks. All participants were offered Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). A follow-up investigation was conducted 3 months after completion of the 12-week intervention. At baseline and follow-up, the participants' smoking status was measured using self-report and was verified using exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) monitoring. Results: The intervention group was composed of 30 current smokers who received the peer-mentoring intervention. The control group was composed of 14 individuals. Overall mean eCO levels dropped from 26 ppm (SD 19.0) at baseline to 12 (SD 6.0) at follow-up (P < 0.01). Participants who were enrolled in our program were more likely to have non-smoking eCO levels (<7 ppm) at follow-up (23.3%) compared to those who did not enroll (14.3%). Conclusion: Our program is feasible for low-income predominantly African American communities. Using peers as mentors may be helpful in providing services for hard-to-reach populations. Given the non-randomized design of our study, randomized trials are needed to test the efficacy of our program in the future.

'You want to deal with power while riding on power': global perspectives on power in participatory health research and co-production approaches.

INTRODUCTION: Power relations permeate research partnerships and compromise the ability of participatory research approaches to bring about transformational and sustainable change. This study aimed to explore how participatory health researchers engaged in co-production research perceive and experience 'power', and how it is discussed and addressed within the context of research partnerships. METHODS: Five online workshops were carried out with participatory health researchers working in different global contexts. Transcripts of the workshops were analysed thematically against the 'Social Ecology of Power' framework and mapped at the micro (individual), meso (interpersonal) or macro (structural) level. RESULTS: A total of 59 participants, with participatory experience in 24 different countries, attended the workshops. At the micro level, key findings included the rarity of explicit discussions on the meaning and impact of power, the use of reflexivity for examining assumptions and power differentials, and the perceived importance of strengthening co-researcher capacity to shift power. At the meso level, participants emphasised the need to manage co-researcher expectations, create spaces for trusted dialogue, and consider the potential risks faced by empowered community partners. Participants were divided over whether gatekeeper engagement aided the research process or acted to exclude marginalised groups from participating. At the macro level, colonial and 'traditional' research legacies were acknowledged to have generated and maintained power inequities within research partnerships. CONCLUSIONS: The 'Social Ecology of Power' framework is a useful tool for engaging with power inequities that cut across the social ecology, highlighting how they can operate at the micro, meso and macro level. This study reiterates that power is pervasive, and that while many researchers are intentional about engaging with power, actions and available tools must be used more systematically to identify and address power imbalances in participatory research partnerships, in order to contribute to improved equity and social justice outcomes.

Community Engagement Practices at Research Centers in U.S. Minority Institutions: Priority Populations and Innovative Approaches to Advancing Health Disparities Research.

This paper details U.S. Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Community Engagement Cores (CECs): (1) unique and cross-cutting components, focus areas, specific aims, and target populations; and (2) approaches utilized to build or sustain trust towards community participation in research. A mixed-method data collection approach was employed for this cross-sectional study of current or previously funded RCMIs. A total of 18 of the 25 institutions spanning 13 U.S. states and territories participated. CEC specific aims were to support community engaged research (94%); to translate and disseminate research findings (88%); to develop partnerships (82%); and to build capacity around community research (71%). Four open-ended questions, qualitative analysis, and comparison of the categories led to the emergence of two supporting themes: (1) establishing trust between the community-academic collaborators and within the community and (2) building collaborative relationships. An overarching theme, building community together through trust and meaningful collaborations, emerged from the supporting themes and subthemes. The RCMI institutions and their CECs serve as models to circumvent the historical and current challenges to research in communities disproportionately affected by health disparities. Lessons learned from these cores may help other institutions who want to build community trust in and capacities for research that addresses community-related health concerns.