Abstract B075: Engaging Black men in prostate cancer education: A community-driven model leveraging faith-based partnerships and mixed-methods data collection

Abstract Black men face a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (PCa) morbidity and mortality. Community-based interventions, particularly in faith-based settings, are critical for increasing awareness and early detection. Touch4Life, in partnership with Ebenezer AME Church, hosted a men's retreat to deliver culturally grounded PCa education and assess community perception, myths, facts, safe space, and screening intent. The gap in precision oncology knowledge remains vast and deadly. Black communities want to learn and act. Forums like the Ebenezer AME Church's men's retreat, featuring curated clinical experts and lived experience advocates, foster a safe space of community. Methods: A collaborative of local health organizations met weekly for four weeks to design and implement a one-day conference grounded in community-engaged principles. Touch4Life adapted 2 of its breast cancer instruments to the PCa community, including a brief, mixed-mode survey administered before, during, and after educational segments. The survey included questions on prostate cancer knowledge, perceived risk, trust in medical professionals, biomarkers, and screening intent. Results: Among approximately 300 African American male attendees at the Ebenezer AME Men's Health Forum, 44% completed the survey. Of these, 24% reported a PCa diagnosis. Alarmingly, 80% stated they had never discussed biomarkers or genetic testing with a physician and had never undergone such testing themselves. Despite this, 70% of respondents expressed interest in clinical trials, and a willingness to pursue genetic or biomarker counseling, highlighting a clear opportunity for targeted education and access to precision medicine.Participant engagement far exceeded expectations. More than 30% of attendees either visited "Ask the Expert" or asked questions publicly. One physician panelist remarked, "I have never experienced anything like this program—where three men were lined up at three mics at a time to ask questions; usually, it's just 10." This level of interaction signaled a cultural shift in how Black men are willing to engage when trust and relevance are established.Qualitative feedback collected via video confirmed the program's profound impact. Attendees described the experience as informative, transformative, and affirming: "There is an unmet need for PCa and precision medicine information. I learned so much. Thank you." These outcomes collectively affirm that culturally grounded, faith-based education fosters unprecedented engagement, identifies previously unacknowledged needs, and empowers Black men to pursue life-saving health interventions. Conclusions: Faith-based settings are effective venues for PCa education and data collection among Black men. Collaborative planning and culturally appropriate delivery mechanisms enhanced engagement. This model demonstrates promise for replicability in other high-disparity communities. The results of the collaboration are a pilot model that applies the SAMBAI programming to the Community Collaboration Cubed Model, moving forward. Citation Format: Laura Crandon, Angela Brade, Bianca LaCroix. Brade, Clayton Yates, Keith Parker, Maurice Foster, Kemith Calvin. Engaging Black men in prostate cancer education: A community-driven model leveraging faith-based partnerships and mixed-methods data collection abstract. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B075.