Recorded presentation

Maria R. Zoquier, BS¹, Aida L. Giachello, PhD², Rosita M. Romero, MSW³, Nicole Hollingsworth, EdD⁴, Jesus A Sanchez, MS, UP, CCNA⁵, EmyLou Solomon⁶, and Fredericka Wolman, MD, MPH⁶. (1) WH/I GENE Project Coalition, Dominican Women's Development Center, 519 West 189th Street, Ground Floor, The target audiences are public health, New York, NY 10040, 212-994-6060, mzoquier@dwdc.org, (2) Midwest Latino Health Research, Training and Policy Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Midwest Latino health Res. Ctr, 1640 W. Roosevelt Rd. #636, Chicago, IL 60608, (3) Executive Director, Dominican Women's Development Center, 519 West 189th Street, Ground Floor, New York, NY 10040, (4) Deputy Executive Director, Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership, Inc., 127 West 127th, 3rd Fl., New York, NY 10027, (5) Evaluator, NYU Medical School, 900 West 190th Street, 12M, New York, NY 10040, (6) Office of the Medical Director, March of Dimes, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605

Currently, there is an increased interest in genetic education and dissemination of scientific information to racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities. Since the Fall of 2002, a diverse spectrum of community-based organizations from Washington Heights/Inwood has promoted the development of a coalition designed to increase awareness and education for genetics with the ultimate goal of increasing preventive genetic services utilization. The coalition includes: a network of community residents, local businesses, educational institutions, health and social services organizations, faith-based community-based organizations and national local partners such as the local chapters of March of Dimes, Family Voices, Genetics Alliance, NY Presbyterian Hospital, Dominican Women’s Development Center, Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership, Ft. George Enrichment Center and Health Plus, among many others. This presentation will: a) provide a brief history of the development of the Genetics Education Needs Evaluation Coalition in Washington Heights/Inwood—one of two demonstration projects of the March of Dimes National Office under the sponsorship of the US DHHS-Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), Genetic Services Branch; b) share the Coalition’s vision, goals, structure, by-laws and membership composition; c) describe how the community participatory action research model was implemented in the formation of the coalition and in the community assessment of needs and assets; d) discuss some of the issues and challenges in addressing genetics education at the grass-roots levels and in partnerships with national organizations, and, e) end with recommendations on best practices for the development and implementation of similar efforts in other underserved communities.

Learning Objectives:

• •Explain the importance of addressing genetic education among racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities.
• •Understand the rationale of why the Washington Heights/Inwood communities chosen as demonstration site.
• •Describe the development of the WH/I coalition, its current structure and challenges.
• •List best practices in the development and implementation of the Genetics Education Needs Evaluation project.

Keywords: Community Participation, Community Participation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation