RMTLC National Networks Driving Action: Preventing Tobacco- and Cancer-Related Health Disparities by Building Equitable Communities. - The proposed Tribal National Network Driving Action (NNDA) program will serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities (AIAN) and focus on prevention and control to reduce the burden of tobacco- and cancer-related health disparities. The project will work with a special emphasis with older AIAN adults, veterans, and AIAN communities with higher tobacco use and cancer burden, including the Northern Plains and Alaska Native populations. AIAN have the highest prevalence of commercial tobacco compared to any other race or ethnicity and significant regional differences exist in commercial tobacco use across Indian Country. The health burden presents in AIAN who have higher rates of death and disease for chronic conditions caused by using commercial tobacco. Unsurprisingly, cancer incidence and mortality rates closely correlate with commercial tobacco use. Trends show significantly increased death rates due to cancer among AIAN. There is a need to focus on commercial tobacco and cancer prevention and control efforts for AIAN by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). The goal of the Tribal NNDA is to reduce tobacco and cancer-related health disparities among AIANs across the nation. To accomplish this goal, the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (RMTLC) will lead a national network to develop and implement a Tribal-specific Community of Practice (CoP) for the purpose of implementing a comprehensive and coordinated approach of policy, systems (PSE) change interventions. RMTLC Tribal NNDA will 1) increase multi-sectoral partnerships to increase partnership opportunities, leverage resources, set priorities, engage in action planning, and expand training and technical assistance (TTA); 2) increase knowledge through TTA of evidence-based/promising practice PSE change interventions and mass reach health communications focused on SDOH; and 3) assist the implementation of evidence-based/promising practice PSE change interventions, innovative interventions that address SDOH, and mass communication efforts.
