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Principal Investigator: Efren Flores
Organization: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
Fiscal Year: 2024
Award: $280,777
Funding agency: National Cancer Institute
PROJECT SUMMARY
Candidate: This resubmission for the NCI K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career
Development Award to Promote Diversity describes Efrén J. Flores, MD as a candidate who is well-
positioned to successfully complete the proposed training objectives and research aims. Dr. Flores’
background as a Hispanic physician and clinical researcher has focused on achieving equity in lung
cancer outcomes through early detection by developing novel interventions to increase LCS uptake
among Hispanic and othervulnerable populations. Background: Lung cancer remains the leading
cause of cancer-specific mortality in theUS, and Hispanics experience worse lung cancer outcomes
and die at higher rates due to advanced stage at presentation. Lung cancer screening (LCS) can
save many lives through early lung cancer detection among Hispanic current and former smokers.
Still, without increasing efforts to improve smoking status disclosure and documentation and tailored
interventions to promote LCS uptake among Hispanic current and former smokers, this underserved
population will continue to demonstrate disparities in lung cancer survival. Study aims: Based on prior
research experience, Dr. Flores has adapted the NIMHD research framework by incorporating
elements from Ford’s evidence-based theoretical model to guide the following proposed study aims:
1) To elucidate barriers and facilitators to consistent identification and documentation of smoking
status to promote LCS uptake among Hispanic current and former smokers; 2) To assess feasibility,
acceptability, and reach of the digital delivery of an educational video to promote LCS uptake among
Hispanic current and former smokers; 3) To explore the effect of the digital delivery of the educational
video to increase interest, intent, and scheduling of LCS uptake among Hispanic current and former
smokers. Training: The career development plan will allow Dr. Flores to develop expertise in tailoring
LCS interventions among Hispanic communities by completing training objectives in three areas: 1)
mixed methods to inform health interventions; 2) community-based participatory research to guide
outreach interventions; 3) digital interventions tailored to promote LCS uptake among Hispanic
communities. Advanced coursework, a resource-rich institutional environment, and the proposed
research study will support these training objectives. Mentorship: A team of expert mentors,
including Dr. Elyse R. Park (primary mentor),Dr. Ruth C. Carlos (co-mentor), and Dr. Kelly E Irwin
(co-mentor), and scientific advisors including Dr. Jennifer Haas, Dr. Nancy Rigotti, Dr. Giselle Perez,
Dr. Jo-Anne Shepard, Dr. Joseph Betancourt, and Dr. Nathaniel Mercaldo will guide Dr. Flores’
training and research efforts for the duration of the award. Impact: The successfulcompletion of this
proposed K08 award will provide Dr. Flores with the rigorous training and research expertise that will
provide high-quality data to inform an NCI R01. It will also serve as a foundation for him to become
a leading independent investigator developing novel interventions to overcome disparities and
advance equity in lung cancer outcomes among Hispanics and other vulnerable populations.
Terms: <Address><Area><Award><Awareness><COVID-19><CV-19><Cancer Cause><Cancer Etiology><Career Development Awards><Career Development Awards and Programs><Career Development Programs K-Series><Charge><Clinic><Clinical><Collaborations><Communities><Community Health><Community Networks><Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019><Data><Dedications><Development Plans><Disclosure><Disparities><Disparity><Documentation><E-Mail><Early Diagnosis><Education><Education and Outreach><Education for Intervention><Educational Intervention><Educational aspects><Electronic Health Record><Electronic Mail><Elements><Eligibility><Eligibility Determination><Email><Environment><Equity><Fear><Focus Groups><Foundations><Fright><General Radiology><Guidelines><Health><Health Care Systems><Healthcare Systems><Hispanic><Hispanic Populations><Hispanic group><Hispanic individual><Hispanic people><Hispanics><Hospitals><Individual><Information Disclosure><Institution><Instruction Intervention><Instruction and Outreach><Intervention><Intervention Strategies><Investigators><K-Awards><K-Series Research Career Programs><Leadership><Malignant Tumor of the Lung><Malignant neoplasm of lung><Mental Health><Mental Hygiene><Mentors><Mentorship><Methods><Modality><Modeling><NCMHD><NIMHD><National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities><National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities><National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities><Non-Hispanic><Nonhispanic><Not Hispanic or Latino><Outcome><Participant><Patient Participation><Patients><Physicians><Population><Position><Positioning Attribute><Protocol Screening><Provider><Psychological Health><Publishing><Pulmonary Cancer><Pulmonary malignant Neoplasm><Radiology><Radiology Specialty><Research><Research Career Program><Research Personnel><Research Resources><Researchers><Resources><Schedule><Scientist><Smoker><Smoking Status><Survey Instrument><Surveys><Text Messaging><Theoretic Models><Theoretical model><Training><Training Intervention><Training Support><Training and Outreach><Tutoring and Outreach><U.S. Preventative Services Task Force><U.S. Preventative Task Force><U.S. Preventive Services Task Force><U.S. Preventive Task Force><US Preventative Services Task Force><US Preventative Task Force><US Preventive Health Services Task Force><US Preventive Services Task Force><US Preventive Task Force><USPSTF><Underserved Population><United States Preventative Services Task Force><United States Preventative Task Force><United States Preventive Services Task Force><United States Preventive Task Force><Vulnerable Populations><Work><acceptability and feasibility><cancer disparity><cancer health disparity><cancer survival><cancer-related health disparity><career><career development><cease smoking><chronic mental illness><community based participatory research><community led research><community participatory research><community partnered participatory research><community partnership><community-based health><coronavirus disease 2019><coronavirus disease-19><coronavirus infectious disease-19><cost><digital delivery><digital health><digital intervention><digitally deliver><disparity in cancer><early detection><electronic communication><electronic health care record><electronic health medical record><electronic health plan record><electronic health registry><electronic medical health record><evidence base><ex-smoker><experience><former smoker><health record><hispanic community><improved><innovate><innovation><innovative><instructional intervention><interest><intervention delivery><intervention effect><interventional strategy><low SES><low socio-economic position><low socio-economic status><low socioeconomic position><low socioeconomic status><lung basal segment><lung base><lung cancer><lung cancer early detection><lung cancer screening><mortality><novel><outreach><participatory action research><patient portal><persistent mental illness><pilot trial><prevent><preventing><promoter><promotor><quit smoking><recommended screening><research study><satisfaction><screening guidelines><screening participation><screening recommendations><serious mental disorder><serious mental illness><severe mental disorder><severe mental illness><short message service><smoking cessation><social culture><socio-cultural><sociocultural><stop smoking><texting><trial enrollment><under served group><under served individual><under served people><under served population><underserved group><underserved individual><underserved people><uptake><vulnerable group><vulnerable individual><vulnerable people>