title: Using community-based participatory approaches to mobilize communities for policy change.
abstract: The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition used community-based participatory research principles to address breast and cervical cancer disparities among Alabama's most vulnerable African American communities. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition implemented a multilevel action plan, which entailed disseminating evidence-based strategies to community organizations interested in addressing cancer and other health disparities. Based on the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition's technical assistance on advocacy, an independent, community-led coalition was formed. This article uses a case study approach to document the steps taken by this empowered coalition to mobilize their community to impact cancer disparities using community-based participatory research principles as a tool to change tobacco and breast and cervical cancer legislation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, 1717 11th Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-4410, USA. twynn@uab.edu
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wynn
authors.forename: Monica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taylor-Jones
authors.forename: Rhoda E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Pamela B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Bostick
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fouad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D057191:Capacity Building; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006265:Health Care Coalitions; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008019:Life Style; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution