Building Cross-Institutional Collaborative Infrastructure and Processes: Early Lessons From the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative

Abstract

A lthough scientific advancements in cancer care have led to longer life expectancies, improved treatment options, and overall better prognoses, there are populations that continue to experience significant deficiencies Abstract Background: Addressing cancer health disparities requires a multitiered, comprehensive approach. The Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (ChicagoCHEC) was established as a tri-institutional partnership to advance cancer health equity through scientific discovery, education, and community engagement.

Community-Academic Partnerships to Reduce Cancer Inequities: The ChicagoCHEC Community Engagement Core

“…6 Regarding Chicago cancer incidence and mortality, Table 1 shows that among the 21 low socioeconomic (SES) communities in Chicago, those with very high concentrations of AAs, also had the highest rates of cancer incidence and mortality, particularly for prostate, lung and colorectal cancer during 2009-2013. 2 The opposite was true (low cancer incidence and deaths) for the two predominantly H/L low SES communities. Although breast cancer incidence, in particular, was relatively low in many of the lower SES minority communities compared with the overall Chicago average, breast cancer mortality was very high in these communities.…”

“…Chicago communities where more than 30% of households live in poverty and have unemployment rates of more than 20%, compared with 19% and 10%, respectively, for the city as a whole. 2 Ten of these economically stressed communities are overwhelmingly AA (>90%); four have high concentrations of H/Ls (≥47%), and one neighborhood is more than 70% Asian/Asian American.…”

“…About 67.3% of the city's population is comprised of racial and ethnic minorities: 32.4% are AAs, 28.9% are H/Ls, 6% are Asian Americans, and 33% are non-Hispanic Whites. 2,3 Chicago remains one of the most segregated cities in the nation, with high concentrations of racial and ethnic minorities in selected neighborhoods. Table 1…”

Architecture Matters—Moving Beyond "Business as Usual": The Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative

“…The cores are guided by the NCI and three steering bodies, the Program Steering Committee, an external evaluating board for partnership activities and accomplishments; the Internal Advisory Committee, an internal evaluating board for partnership activities and accomplishments; and the Community Steering Committee, a team of more than 30 community organizations representing the most vulnerable communities in Chicago. 3 The community engagement core holds a special place in the organizational structure of ChicagoCHEC, because it is charged with developing, nurturing and sustaining meaningful community partnerships and ensuring community representation and integration into the activities of all ChicagoCHEC cores. This core is structured to foster group dynamics that respond to the inherent inequality between academic institutions, researchers, community residents and leaders, health care providers, and community organizations by leveling the playing field, as described in Giachello et al 4…”

“…The organizational structure of ChicagoCHEC has forged strong collaborative ties between Northwestern University, Northeastern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, in fulfillment of the NCI’s objective of increasing cancer research capacity at ISUPs. 3 In addition, other articles in this special issue highlight how ChicagoCHEC has advanced research and education initiatives that are aimed at reducing cancer health disparities, as described below.…”