ASPO Abstracts

Authors: Fleisher, L, Norbeck, C.

Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2022

Abstract Body:
Purpose: A lack of workforce diversity has been identified as a barrier to improving access to quality care for underserved minority groups, as well as advancing research on health disparities. The Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program is a national program funded by the National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) whose seven regions use a multipronged engagement approach to increase recruitment/retention of diverse investigators and to strengthen professional development. Methods: Recognizing that the stressful events of 2020 (COVID, racial or political unrest, others) impacted our members strongly, a REDCaP survey was designed to assess if and how the events of 2020 impacted current research productivity, applications for future funding, and publication submission. It was sent out to each of the GMaP regional listservs in October 2020 and was completed by 150 researchers by early stage (71, 50.0%) and established investigators (36, 25.4%). Results: Descriptive statistics were employed for the quantitative data providing frequency responses and have previously been shared. Qualitative analysis provided profound examples of the difficulties researchers have experienced in 2020. A thematic analysis was conducted, developing a code book after an initial review of the data, followed by individual coding and a consensus process. Using the Socio-Ecological model, we categorized these themes of the impact of the pandemic and social unrest on scholarly productivity. E.g., for the individual level, coded themes such as Focus on Teaching Responsibilities; Expanded research; Balancing/pushing out deadlines; Impact on quality and focus of research; Mental Health; and Virtual Meeting Fatigue were identified, coded, and categorized. Conclusions: We wanted to better understand how the GMaP program could support these scholars in this time of crisis. The most highly ranked GMaP support was the continuation of pilot funding, small research support grants (e.g. materials, publications, research supplies) and expert grant review. These data and stories further inform and enhance specific GMaP program offerings, and help us better advocate for our researchers at the institutional and national level.

Keywords: Pandemic Underrepresented Scholars GMaP

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