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Using the Community Readiness Model to Assess American Indian Communities Readiness to Address Cancer Prevention and Control Programs

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Abstract

Cancer disparities continue among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations while they have decreased among other racial and ethnic groups. No studies were found that utilized the Community Readiness Model (CRM) to ascertain the readiness of Tribal and American Indian organizations to participate in cancer research and cancer prevention and control initiatives. The Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention conducted an assessment of the status of American Indian communities’ readiness to implement activities for prevention, early detection, and treatment to improve AI/AN cancer rates. The assessment was a component of the Community Outreach Core of the grant. Thirty-four key Informants participated in the interview process. The Community Readiness Assessment (CRA) provided a baseline assessment of community partners’ readiness to participate in cancer research and programming. Despite years of cancer intervention programs, the communities were classified as being in the early stages of readiness [1–5] of the nine-stage model. Additionally, findings showed low levels of awareness of previous or ongoing cancer research. The findings in prevention and control efforts indicated a need for technical assistance and funding to support community projects in prevention and control. This supported the implementation of a community grants initiative. They also indicated that communities were not ready to conduct research, despite ongoing cancer related research in at least two communities. Communication tools and social media methods and messages were developed to increase awareness of cancer as a health concern and cancer research in the community. The CRM informed these and other engagement activities to meet the appropriate stage of readiness for each Tribe/community, and to build their capacity to participate in cancer research and programming activities.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Carol Goldtooth, Marissa Adams, and Kellen Polingyumptewa, who conducted the Community Readiness Assessment interviews and participated in consensus scoring. The authors extend their gratitude to the members of the Community Action Committee who participated in the planning and offered their expertise to make this process possible.

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under the awards for the Partnership of Native American Cancer Prevention U54CA143924 (UACC) and U54CA143925 (NAU).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. American Indian Research Center for Health, Dept. of Family & Community Medicine, University of Arizona, 1642 E. Helen, AZ, 85719, Tucson, USA

    Teshia G. Arambula Solomon, Felina M. Cordova-Marks, Amanda Urbina Hunter & Berna Villanueva

  2. College of Medicine, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, AZ, 85724, Tucson, USA

    Teshia G. Arambula Solomon

  3. Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, 1515 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85724-5024, USA

    Teshia G. Arambula Solomon, Desiree Jones, Kelly Laurila & Felina M. Cordova-Marks

  4. Northern Arizona University, 5 E. McConnell Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

    Kelly Laurila & Amanda Urbina Hunter

  5. Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, 2214 North Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Jamie Ritchey

  6. Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N Martin Ave., Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Felina M. Cordova-Marks

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  1. Teshia G. Arambula Solomon
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  2. Desiree Jones
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Correspondence to Teshia G. Arambula Solomon.

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This manuscript has not been prior published, submitted to another journal for publication and is not under review at another journal. It is approved for publication by all authors.

IRB Statement

The assessment protocol was submitted to the University of Arizona Institutional Review Board and deemed not a research project, but rather a community engagement project to inform and assist tribal partners in developing strategies to reduce cancer in their communities. The Community Readiness Assessment Task Force developed the interview protocol. The assessment protocol was submitted to the University of Arizona Institutional Review Board and deemed not a research project, but rather a community engagement project to inform and assist tribal partners in developing strategies to reduce cancer in their communities (UA Protocol # 1506949135. 7 July 2015). The Community Readiness Assessment Task Force developed the interview protocol. Contents of this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under the awards for the Partnership of Native American Cancer Prevention U54CA143924 (UACC) and U54CA143925 (NAU).

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Arambula Solomon, T.G., Jones, D., Laurila, K. et al. Using the Community Readiness Model to Assess American Indian Communities Readiness to Address Cancer Prevention and Control Programs. J Canc Educ 38, 206–214 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02100-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02100-4

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