Grants

NIMHD RO1 PAR-19-093

PI Dr. Richard Brown

2020-2024

Description: Low accruals to clinical trials is a widespread challenge throughout the United States. Understudied groups, like minorities and individuals from rural areas, typically are unaware of trials or face significant barriers to joining a trial. Health care systems are now using technology that can effectively reach potential trial participants, making them aware of clinical trials by delivering a targeted message. This project aims to create targeted messaging to be sent electronically via patient portals to patients that match eligibility criteria for trials. The targeted messages will address barriers faced and provide patients with tools to initiate a discussion with their provider about the trial. Findings will have the direct potential to increase patient accrual, especially among African Americans and rural individuals, while also demonstrating the use of a novel method for delivering targeted trial messages through patient portals that has the potential to be widely adopted to other areas of the healthcare system.

R21 NOSI0

PI: Dr Richard Brown

2020-2024

Description: Past studies have recommended that communication between SGM breast cancer patients and their oncologist during surgical treatment decision making needs to be improved to overcome inequities. Optimal physician-patient communication is a potential pathway to ameliorate health disparities. Yet, there are gaps in our knowledge about the potential for disparities in surgical treatment decision making based on poor communication in four main areas.

First, much of the research that has focused on SGM decisions about post-surgical options such as reconstruction. Yet little is known about pre-surgical decision making in these groups of breast cancer patients. Second, the patient-physician interaction has not been a focus of the research and thus there is a lack of evidence-based specificity about the role of communication in exacerbating disparities. Third, it is unclear how specific aspects of communication foster or impede open disclosure of sexual or gender identity. Finally, little is known about how intersectionality may be impacting the decision making SGM breast cancer patients who are members of multiple groups and thus occupy multiple marginalized spaces.

NCI Supplement- Massey Cancer Center CCSG

PI: Dr Richard Brown

2020-2024

Description: Inadequate collection of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data has been a barrier to evidence-based high-quality care and the conduct of research related to sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups, especially those diagnosed with cancer or at risk for cancer. While federal policy has mandated electronic health records (EHR) to provide technical capacity to record, modify, and access SOGI data, recognizing standardized SOGI data collection on as an essential first step for reducing SGM-related health disparities, institutions across the country have met this requirement by including fields for such data as part of their EHRs, but their completion varies widely. Assessing the completeness, quality and language used to collect SOGI data would be a first step towards building cross-institutional SGM research through shared knowledge. acquisition.

"Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity" UO1 submission

Multi PI: Dr Richard Brown

2021-2024

Description: Currently, no wide-spread or evaluated strategies are available to improve or establish routine Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data collection from Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) patients including cancer patients. The field has been largely stagnant in addressing this issue, and while the federal govt has worked to increase the number of federally funded databases that include SOGI data, the impetus at health care institutions not controlled by the federal government have been slow to respond to the multiple clarion calls since 2011 for improvement in SGM health care, including for cancer.

The aims of this UO1 are first, to develop an intervention at each of five partner institutions, The intervention is 2-level, striking at system barriers by building tools and establishing procedures to activate and monitor SOGI data collection and at individual level barriers by combatting reluctance and discomfort related to collecting SOGI data by providers and staff and by increasing awareness of the importance of SOGI data as part of a larger institutional commitment to high quality clinical care for all patients. Second, we will test implementation of the intervention at four other cancer centers and hospitals that reflect additional diversity including general hospitals affiliated with cancer centers. Also, achieving successful implementation of systematic and routine collection of SOGI data at 9 institutions by the end of the award is demonstration in a significant number of cancer centers and hospitals, proving that a variety of major health care organizations can achieve this goal.

R01NR016483-02

PI Dr. Sheppard, Dr. Richard Brown Co-Investigator

2020-2024

Description: The study's primary aim is to evaluate the efficacy of a system navigation program to improve treatment adherence outcomes. Women in the experimental group will be more likely to initiate recommended systemic therapies and have less initiation delay.

Funding: American Cancer Society

R01NR016483-02

Dr. Richard Brown (Sub-Award Site PI

2017- 2020

Description: The study's primary aim is to test the effects of a theory- based mHealth (CHAMPION) administered by Registered Nurse (RN)-Community Patient Navigator (CPN) teams to advanced prostate cancer patients and decision partners/proxies on decisional outcomes

Funding: National Institute of Health (NIH)

RSG-14-227-01 CPPB ACS

Dr. Richard Brown (PI)

2015-2019

Description: This ACS research Scholar grant funds the development and evaluations of the use of tailored health messages to aid African American cancer patients clinical trial decision making.

Funding: American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant

R01NR016483-02

PI Dr. Ginder, Co-Investigator Dr. Richard Brown

2017-2022

Description: The overarching goals of this proposal are to assure that every Massey Cancer Patient is ASKED about their tobacco use as a routine part of their visit, that every smoker is ADVISED to quit and that those who wish to quit are CONNECTED to tobacco cessation counseling and TREATMENT.

Funding: Massey Cancer Center Support Grant

• 2015-2016 Training Program in Behavioral and Health Services Cancer Control Research (R25CA093423) May 15, 2015 – August 31, 2016.National Cancer Institute $2,180,129, 30% effort

• 2012-2014 Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. “Using On line communication training to promote employment retention among Cancer Patients.” $227,000, 20% effort.

• 2012-2014 Massey Cancer Center Pilot Project. “Developing an online clinical trial specific Question Prompt List.” $30,000.

• 2010-2011 Massey Cancer Center "Factors that Influence Patients to Participate or Not in Clinical Trials."$30,000.

• 2008-2010 NCI RO3 Small Grants Award NCI CA130598.

• “Enhancing Informed Consent to Cancer Clinical Trials: Development and Evaluation of a Question Prompt List.” $198,000, 20% effort.

• 2007-2008 Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation. “Train-the-Trainer Program for Cancer Communication,” $204,000.

• 2007-2008 Martell Foundation. “Seeking Informed Consent to Phase One Cancer Clinical Trials: Identifying Oncologists’ Communication Styles.” $30,000.