Imperative Partners With Force & University of South Florida Researchers to Promote Patient Centered Outcomes Research

Tampa, FL – Black Women’s Health Imperative, a national organization dedicated to advancing the health and wellness of the 20 million Black women and girls throughout the nation, announced today a partnership with Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), the leading advocacy organization for families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and researchers at the University of South Florida to promote awareness and patient-centered research focused on inherited breast cancer in African American women.

Black Women’s Health Imperative will join the ABOUT Patient-Powered Research Network (PPRN), one of 29 networks participating in PCORnet, a new national research network formed by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). PCORnet’s goal is to improve patient outcomes by focusing on answering real-world medical questions that will help patients and their doctors make informed healthcare decisions. The ABOUT Network aims to enroll 10,000 people nationwide with a personal or family history of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer, and to collect information about their experiences to determine patterns and gaps in research, resources, and access to quality health services.

“Many Black women with breast cancer face inequalities in access to genetic information and services. This population is also underrepresented in hereditary cancer research,” said Sue Friedman, FORCE’s Executive Director. “The Black Women’s Health Imperative will play a vital role in helping us identify unmet needs in this community, and in shaping priorities for patient-centered outcomes research.”

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