Consortium of National Networks to Impact Tobacco-Related and Cancer Health Disparities

CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) and Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) are partnering on a five-year project that provides support to several national networks working to prevent tobacco use and cancer in groups of people that struggle with particular health challenges, and may not have good access to health care or health information. It expands on the current national networks model to provide additional help to communities where health gaps are identified by CDC’s National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program and the National Tobacco Control Program. The five-year funding began September 30, 2013.

The CDC-funded organizations work together to target underserved communities with education, data, and support on tobacco and cancer.

Grant awardees focus on—

• Bringing together public health partners to carry out programs specifically tailored for their communities.
• Educating targeted groups about the dangers of tobacco use, including cancer. This strategy can help support healthy behaviors.
• Helping communities better connect with their local health care providers by offering strategies for assistance and outreach.
• Making information from new studies easily available and understandable to support education efforts.

The national networks program helps increase the flow of information and resources to specific programs for communities affected by high tobacco use and low awareness of cancer risk.

With this project, CDC hopes to—

• Strengthen its programs to increase health care and information in certain communities.
• Decrease those communities’ exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Decrease use of tobacco products by community members.
• Help cancer survivors live longer and better by developing healthy habits.

Awardee Organizations and Areas of Focus