Statement of Purpose
Serve as a forum to ensure that the results of health science research benefit vulnerable populations, especially in African American and Latino neighborhoods where people suffer from a greater burden of preventable illness and premature death. The aims of MD-CRAB are to:
- serve as a “think tank” generating ideas suitable for research that come from the authentic lived experience of people in greatest need of the lifesaving results of research;
- increase awareness of both the risks and benefits of participating in public health and medical research, including clinical trials;
- serve as a forum for researchers to present their ideas so that MD-CRAB members may offer substantive feedback and recommendations to research teams, provide opportunities for them to learn about the African American and Latino community and cultural norms, and enable community members to shape the development and implementation of research projects; and
- ensure that policy decision-makers hear the voices of people who come from underserved, poorly served and never served neighborhoods across the state of Maryland.
The overarching goal of MD-CRAB is to make a meaningful contribution toward the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities by building trust between minority communities and health science researchers.
For Researchers
The MD-CRAB can provide community insight and guidance to strengthen research through anything from creating more relevant research questions, recruitment procedures to data collection materials. If you are a researcher interested in presenting your work to the MD-CRAB, please read the MD-CRAB letter and instructions for researchers. You may also contact Stephen Thomas at 301-405-8859 or sbt@umd.edu for more information.