Research Opportunity: Building Community Living Labs in Black Communities to Advance Prostate Health

The Building Community Living Labs in Black Communities to Advance Prostate Health Equity and Reduce Prostate Cancer Disparities in Black Men study is exploring whether a community-based program can help more Black men learn about prostate health, get screened for prostate cancer, and connect with research opportunities and healthcare services.

The program, called REACH, will be offered through selected American Legion Posts using a Community Living Labs (CoLLab) Learning Health System. The program includes trained community health workers who help connect community members with healthcare providers, health information, and local resources.

Black men are less likely to receive prostate cancer screening, even though prostate cancer is a major health concern and cancer is the second leading cause of death among Black men. Research shows that working with community health workers can improve access to care, increase knowledge about cancer prevention and treatment, and support better health outcomes.

This study will compare American Legion Posts that offer the CoLLab program with Posts that do not. Researchers will look at whether the program improves access to prostate cancer education, screening, clinical trials, and other prostate health services for Black men, both individually and within their communities.