U54CA280808

Center for Social Capital (SOCA): Promoting Multigenerational Health

The overarching mission of the Center for Social Capital (SOCA) is to bring together academic institutions, community-based organizations, and a diverse group of stakeholders to reduce cancer health inequities due to persistent poverty. New York City (NYC) is a region of extremes, with some of the richest and poorest living in close proximity. These extremes have a profound impact on health, with major inequities in life expectancy. Cancer is the number one cause of premature mortality and overall mortality in NYC.

NYC is one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., with approximately two-thirds non-white, one-third foreign-born, and at least one-fifth living below the federal poverty line across four counties with persistent poverty. With such diversity comes challenges in implementing cancer control programs to meet the needs of all. Using a community-engaged approach, we have identified the top three social determinants that exert the greatest barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in communities of persistent poverty: financial burden, low health literacy, and community/social context (i.e., lack of social support/cohesion, stigma, discrimination).

NYC has a long history of migration and immigration, which has resulted in racially/ethnically segregated communities. Residential segregation concentrates disadvantages in minority communities by limiting social, economic, and educational opportunities and resources, while concentrating poverty in these communities. However, for some segments of the population, especially new immigrants, residing in a highly segregated community has positive health effects through co-ethnic social support networks, also known as "ethnic enclaves," and resource availability. Hence, the constructs of social capital and social cohesion may play a significant role in mediating the relationship between residential segregation and negative health outcomes, such as cancer incidence and mortality.

Our mission as a center is to reduce cancer health inequities in persistent poverty census tracts throughout NYC by promoting multigenerational health. Specifically, we aim to:

1. Develop a rich interdisciplinary and collaborative partnership with community organizations that will infuse stakeholder-engaged research methods and build sustainable approaches for cancer control (Aim 1).
2. Conduct two complementary projects that focus on novel interventions in persistent poverty communities aimed at two structural determinants of health - education and healthcare. The interventions aim to increase social capital among youth in school settings and patient navigators in federally qualified health centers as a means to alleviate systemic inequities (Aim 2).
3. Leverage capacity across four geographically separate groups of persistent poverty census tracts in NYC to cultivate the next generation of investigators and develop sustainable core infrastructure to achieve cancer health equity (Aim 3).

Weill Medical College Of Cornell University

TO PROVIDE AN ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS AND STIMULUS FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY CANCER RESEARCH THAT EFFECTIVELY PROMOTES INTERDISCIPLINARY CANCER RESEARCH AIMED TOWARD THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF REDUCING CANCER INCIDENCE, MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY. THE CANCER CENTER SUPPORT GRANT (CCSG) PROVIDES THE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE THE COORDINATION OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF RESEARCH FROM BASIC LABORATORY RESEARCH TO CLINICAL INVESTIGATION TO POPULATION SCIENCE. THE CCSG SUPPORTS SALARIES FOR SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP OF THE CENTER, SHARED RESOURCES FOR FUNDED CENTER INVESTIGATORS, CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, PLANNING AND EVALUATION, AND DEVELOPMENTAL FUNDS FOR NEW RECRUITMENTS AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES.

93.397 - Cancer Centers Support Grants

National Cancer Institute (NCI) [HHS - NIH]

New York United States

State-Wide

Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-CA-22-015)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 87% from $2,087,918 to $3,912,003.