A New Approach to Health Disparities

With the ultimate goal of raising awareness around clinical trials and research within the African American community and increasing participation of minorities in clinical trials, DukeHealth is trying something new. They teamed up with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church, to bring community members and researchers together to build a network across North Carolina that can change the conversation about research, increase the number of African-Americans participating in health research, and reduce health disparities. 
 
Both groups are gathering together in multiple training sessions to discuss the health disparities and research issues in the community, collaborate on ways to improve them, and create a vision and protocol for moving forward. The most recent training was in Durham on December 8, 2016.
 
“In these trainings, we are using a health equity and health disparities lens to really identify ways that we can break down some of the barriers that are impacting African Americans in terms of chronic diseases, particularly as it relates to their participation in clinical trials and research,” says Dr. Nadine Barrett, Director of Duke Cancer Institute's Office of Health Equity and Disparities. “We now have a group of experts from AME Zion who understand the needs in our community and want to be supporters, servants, and leaders in this effort.”
 
This partnership is supported by the Duke Center for Community and Population Health Improvement and Duke’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). The collaboration will help insure that future research trials work for all people.
 
For more information, please contact Lisa Davis at 919-668-0028.

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