About HC2

Mission

In 1989, Samuel Broder, MD, then Director of the National Cancer Institute, famously stated that “Poverty is a carcinogen.” Decades later, poverty remains a significant driver of cancer-related health inequities. Historically marginalized populations, particularly those living in areas of persistent poverty, are disproportionately affected by harmful social determinants of health (SDOH). These include economic instability, lack of education, inadequate healthcare, and poor neighborhoods or social environments. SDOH barriers include financial hardship, unstable employment, inadequate health insurance, limited job flexibility, lack of transportation, scarcity of healthcare providers and services in PP and rural areas, and food insecurity.

HOPE and CAIRHE 2gether (HC2) aims to reduce the impact of persistent poverty on cancer outcomes. We implement community-driven programs that address the root causes of health disparities and promote the equitable application of evidence-based health interventions to reduce tobacco use and obesity in low-income communities.

The overall, long-term goal of HC2 is to develop and implement a strategy called Reach through Equitable Implementation (REI). This approach seeks to expand the reach of evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions in areas of persistent poverty, where health inequities are most pronounced.

HC2’s community-level research programs are designed to align with the cultural beliefs, resources, and priorities of the communities they serve. These programs engage individuals of all ages and collaborate with key organizations such as public health agencies, healthcare systems, American Indian communities, and other community-based entities across five states. By fostering partnerships across institutions and leveraging the guidance of a Community and Scientific Advisory Board, the HC2 network advances cancer prevention efforts in persistent poverty areas throughout the Mountain West.

Specific Aims of HC2

Establish HC2 as a robust and sustainable cross-institutional center for cancer prevention research, focusing on areas and populations experiencing persistent poverty both regionally and nationally.
Promote and implement innovative, multi-sector, multi-level cancer prevention research programs in areas affected by persistent poverty.
Develop and support a network of cancer prevention researchers across institutions who integrate persistent poverty considerations into their work to better serve the region.
Build upon existing partnerships to expand and sustain the Health Equity Network to Address Cancer Prevention in Areas of Persistent Poverty.

Persistent Poverty

Persistent poverty areas are defined as regions where 20% or more of the population has lived below the federal poverty line for the past 30 years. Individuals in these areas have higher cancer incidence rates, face delays in diagnosis and treatment, and are more likely to die from cancer compared to those not living in poverty. However, there is limited research on improving cancer outcomes in these areas.

Funding

In 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration allocated $50 million to launch the Persistent Poverty Initiative, the first major program to address the structural and institutional factors of persistent poverty in the context of cancer. Coordinated by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, this initiative aims to alleviate the cumulative effects of persistent poverty on cancer outcomes by building research capacity, fostering cancer prevention research, and promoting community-based programs.

These funds established five Centers for Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas, including HC2. HC2 aligns with the Administration’s Cancer Moonshot priorities by addressing structural drivers of cancer inequities, reducing tobacco use, and promoting access to healthy food to prevent cancer.