Community-Sensitive Research

Health outcomes are markedly worse for certain segments of the US population, and factors including socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gender, sexual identity and orientation and disability status are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Because not all investigators have a common understanding of the social determinants of health or specific training in engaging individuals from diverse populations, we encourage faculty to address cultural humility, community engagement and participant accrual.

  • Recognizing community disparities: The asset-driven See the City you Serve and CTSI-CN Health Equity bus trips include community partners and increase understanding of disparities and comfort in addressing social determinants of health.
  • Health equity lectures: The Health Equity Lecture Series includes topics such as social determinants of health, recognizing vulnerable populations, challenges to health equity, health equity data sources, cultural humility, facilitating difficult discussions, causes of health disparities and leveraging community assets.
  • The Cancer Preventorium and Spanish language radio show on cancer prevention.
  • LGBTQ-affirmative care: LGTBQ patients are addressed in competency-based educational programs for health care providers.
  • Community engagement events, such as the Science CafĂ© 360 series brings researchers and community stakeholders together for bi-directional dialogue.
  • Community-facing web portals, such as DC Health Matters tailored population health data as well as findhelp.org serve as important links to social service programs in the metro area.