Bolajoko, Opeyemi

Introduction Immigrants of African Descent (IAD) are a subset of the population in the United States with unique healthcare needs and experiences driving health disparities, including inadequate access to healthcare for cancer prevention and control. This study reports the impact of a Cancer advocacy program in IAD communities, using the training of trainers approach. Methods IAD from different organizations were invited to undergo cancer advocacy training organized by Inclusive Cancer Care Research Equity and Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center as Master trainers on colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. Participation was through in-person training and Zoom sessions. Our team communicated with participants frequently via email to provide support and updates. The Master trainers led cancer awareness programs within their communities during the second phase of the program. Results Participants included two breast cancer survivors, three prostate cancer survivors, six cancer caregivers, and 19 community advocates. There were 19 advocate-led cancer risk reduction and research participation events, reaching 2045 community members, and 875 were navigated to research. Community responses showed that 96% found the information given at the Master Trainer-led event was very useful, 46% promised to seek more cancer information, and 17% agreed to volunteer to become a cancer advocate. The insights from this study suggested that the train-the-trainers’ approach was efficient in ensuring community ownership of cancer advocacy. Conclusion IAD can be trained to effectively lead advocacy programs in immigrant communities, using the train-the-trainer approach. Future studies should establish the feasibility of sustaining community outreach and research navigation in IAD communities to improve cancer prevention and cancer care outcomes in this population.

Abstract Black/African American populations, globally, bear the greatest prostate cancer (CaP) burden compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Addressing CaP disparities in Black men is complex, requiring a patient-centered, community-centric and comprehensive approach. This study integrates iCCaRE Consortium findings and broader literature to address unmet needs in survivorship care. The iCCaRE Consortium implemented five complementary pilot studies using mixed-methods designs, including feasibility trials, qualitative research, and observational analyses across the United States and sub-Saharan Africa. Descriptive statistics, subgroup analyses, and qualitative thematic analyses were performed across these studies. Collectively, projects addressed multilevel determinants including social, behavioral, and biological drivers of disparities. Project 1 implemented a Virtual Reality Assistant (ViRA) across clinical and community settings, with ongoing evaluation in pragmatic trials. Project 2 showed strong patient preference for home-based cancer care. Project 3 enrolled demonstrated trends toward improved health-related quality of life. Project 4 identified key themes influencing survivorship experiences. Project 5 identified biological mechanisms linking stress, immune modulation, and symptom burden. The iCCaRE pilot projects demonstrate the feasibility and early impact of a consortium-based, transdisciplinary approach to addressing CaP disparities in Black men. These findings highlight the importance of integrating patient-centered interventions, community engagement, and biological insights to inform scalable strategies aimed at improving survivorship outcomes and advancing health equity. The iCCaRE Consortium demonstrates that a transatlantic, patient-centered, and multidisciplinary approach integrating social, clinical, and biological factors can generate scalable strategies to improve survivorship outcomes and advance equity in CaP care for Black men.

Abstract Background: Black men experience the highest burden of prostate cancer (CaP) incidence and mortality in the United States. The reasons documented for the significant burden of CaP in Black communities include health systems, care process, and individual/personal level factors, such as cultural factors, psychosocial factors, decision making/preferences, comprehension, past experience, and perceived behavioral control. The Community Living Lab (CoLLab) Learning Health System (LHS) was established within three American Legion Posts (ALP) in Northeast Florida to address these factors. Study Objective: This clinical trial study evaluated the impact of the CoLLab LHS on the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and cues to action of Black men who received Resources, Education, Amenities, and Community Health (REACH) services at the ALPs. Methods: The design was guided by the Intervention Mapping Framework and the Social Ecological Model. CoLLab REACH services were made available to participants through trusted community infrastructures. Services integrated include CaP resources and materials, social determinant of health navigation, healthy grocery distribution, cancer advocacy programs, and research participation. Participants were recruited at three ALPs and were asked to visit their respective CoLLab LHS site at least twice a month and up to 24 times over one year to use any of the services. The impact was measured using baseline and quarterly surveys assessing CaP awareness, knowledge, attitude, health beliefs, perceived control, intentions, and cues to action. Descriptive statistics were used to compare participants' information at baseline and at 3-month follow-up. Results: A total of 173 participants were included in this analysis; 57.9% were ≥ 60 years, and 92.2% were US-born Black men. Prostate cancer knowledge increased from baseline to 3-month follow-up. The median score rose from 4±1.29 at baseline, with the mean increasing to 4.24±1.10. Attitudes towards Cap screening declined marginally from 12.58±2.15 to 12.27±2.40. Health beliefs showed a clear upward shift, with the mean increasing from 22.86±3.0 at baseline to 23.20±2.82 after 3 months of intervention. Additionally, cues to action also improved, with the mean increasing from 2.78±1.67 to 3.25±1.45. Only the cues-to-action index showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.018), with higher scores observed after 3 months of intervention. Conclusion: Across the four core constructs—prostate cancer knowledge, testing attitudes, health beliefs, and cues to action—outcomes at follow-up demonstrated modest but consistent improvements compared to those of baseline, alongside slightly reduced variability for most domains. Overall, the evaluation showed that CoLLab REACH services improved knowledge, enhanced stronger health beliefs, and significantly increased cues to action, while testing attitudes remained comparatively stable. Citation Format: Folakemi T. Odedina, Opeyemi Oreoluwa Bolajoko, Quincy A. Wimberly, Daniel W. Lee, Floyd B. Willis, Toshiko Moultrie, Wayne Ford, Derry Green, Arnold J. Merriweather, Michelle Fudge. The impact of the Community Living Lab learning health system on the prostate cancer knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and cues to action of Black men [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(8_Suppl):Abstract nr LB324.

Abstract Introduction: Black prostate cancer (CaP) survivors experience unique quality-of-life (QoL) and recovery challenges after treatment compared with their White counterparts. Smartphone-delivered mobile health interventions offer promising avenues for symptom tracking and lifestyle changes; but their feasibility, user engagement, and acceptability in this population remain unclear. This study assessed the feasibility, engagement, and preliminary impact of the Survivorship App for Ethnically Diverse Black Prostate Cancer Survivors (SAFE-CaPS), designed to improve self-monitoring behaviors and health outcomes. Methods: Nine Black CaP survivors (seven U.S.-born, one African-born, and one Caribbean-born) participated in a 12-week pilot study of SAFE-CaPS. The app provided daily prompts for symptoms (pain, sleep, fatigue, sexual function, anxiety, depression) and behavior tracking (physical activity, diet), brief self-management support, and physician alerts for severe symptom reports. Mental health (GAD-7 and PHQ-9) and QoL (FACT-P) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Feasibility was evaluated based on adherence rates (i.e., ≥70% of daily diary entries). Engagement and acceptability were assessed via app analytics and qualitative interviews on usability and cultural relevance. Participants were compensated up to $125 via Greenphire ClinCard. Surveys were analyzed with SPSS v29, and interviews with Atlas.ti v23. Results: Participants’ median age at diagnosis was 56 years; six had a positive family history of CaP, and four had undergone radical prostatectomy. Four participants met the feasibility threshold, and eight completed the study. Most daily entries reflected mild pain, fatigue, bowel and urinary issues, and generally good sleep. Several participants frequently reported severe sexual dysfunction, and most diary responses indicated <20 minutes of physical activity per day. Fruit/vegetable intake was low, with about half of daily responses showing 1-2 servings. At baseline, eight participants had minimal anxiety, while five had moderate depression. Overall, QoL improved from week 1 to week 12 in physical, emotional, and functional well-being, while social well-being declined over time. Interviews emphasized the app’s user-friendly design, ease of navigation, and acceptability as key strengths, with several participants highlighting its simplicity and ease of use, with recommendations to reduce repetitive items and address minor technical issues. Conclusions: SAFE-CaPS was feasible and well accepted. Sexual dysfunction, low physical activity, and moderate depression emerged as key concerns, heightening the need for integrated mental health, activity support, and stronger engagement strategies in future mHealth interventions. Citation Format: Gaurav Kumar, Parisa Ghasemi, Yan D. Zhao, Zsolt Nagykaldi, Kathleen A. Dwyer, Andrew G. McIntosh, Ernie Kaninjing, Mary E. Young, Dickey Sabrina, Daniel Morton, Opeyemi Bolajoko, Darla E. Kendzor, Motolani Ogunsanya. Feasibility of a survivorship app for black prostate cancer survivors: Results from a 12-week mHealth pilot study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 6307.

Abstract Background: Black men across the African Diaspora experience a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (CaP). The Inclusive Cancer Care Research Equity (iCCaRE) Consortium aims to eliminate CaP burden through global scientific collaboration, innovative research, community-engaged interventions, and next-generation workforce development. The primary objective for this Consortium was to optimize CaP diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship through research, research training and education, community engagement and community outreach. The Consortium integrates digital health technologies, community navigation, precision communication and precision science. Methods: Five full projects and one pilot project were launched across partner institutions in North America and Africa. Supported by multiple cores and services, the research activities included (1) implementation of a Point of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Virtual Robot Assistant (PPCD-ViRA); (3) initiation of a cancer care at home trial; (4) migrant health studies of Caribbean and Sub-Saharan African immigrants; (5) expansion of genomic and metabolomic research; and (6) digital, psychosocial, and survivorship intervention development. Training and dissemination activities were deployed through iCCaRE TV, webinars, and community engagement programs including the Global Prostate Health Dialogue (Glo-PHD). Results: In one year, accomplishments included 45 presentations, 17 publications, 16 grant submissions, and 3 awards. The consortium delivered 408 live webinar engagements and reached more than 400 men globally through Glo-PHD. PPCD-ViRA was fully developed and prepared for clinical deployment (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mI-HS5R6sk). The African cohort expansion for genomic and metabolomic profiling was activated across several countries, with biospecimen collection underway. Media dissemination generated more than 15,000 views across platforms, including high-impact educational videos (see: www.youtube.com/@iCCaREConsortium). Training achievements included 13 early-career investigators and 7 trained prostate cancer advocates. Conclusions: In just one year, the iCCaRE Consortium Phase 2 made substantial progress toward transforming CaP equity globally. Through multidisciplinary science, digital innovation, and community partnerships, the consortium is building scalable infrastructure to address diagnosis experiences, treatment quality, and survivorship among Black men. Ongoing efforts will continue to advance precision medicine, culturally grounded interventions, and global capacity building. Citation Format: Folakemi T. Odedina, Arnold Merriweather, Roxana S. Dronca, Ernest T. Kaninjing, Solomon Rotimi, Gerardo Colon-Otero, Kimlin Ashing, Ademola A. Popoola, Gladys Asiedu, Opeyemi Bolajoko, Ewan COBRAN, Emelina Asto-Flores, Floyd Willis, Christopher Williams, Monica L. Albertie, Michelle Fudge, Oluwaseyi Toye, Collisa Mahin, Jada Melton, Inclusive Cancer Care Research Equity (iCCaRE) Consortium, Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC). Achieving prostate cancer equity globally: Multinational advances from the iCCaRE consortium [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 2382.

Abstract Background: Prostate cancer (CaP) is among the most common cancers in U.S. men, with Black men experiencing a 1.7-fold higher incidence and nearly twice the mortality rate compared with non-Hispanic White men. While early detection has improved survival, differences remain in recovery and quality of life (QoL). Sexual dysfunction after treatment affects identity, relationships, and well-being, yet stigma, cultural norms, and limited access to patient-centered care prevent open discussion. Few initiatives address the intersection of identity, stigma, and survivorship in this population. Community town halls provide a trusted, culturally responsive space for shared learning, peer connection, and open dialogue on survivorship and sexual health. Methods: Two community-engaged CaP town halls were convened by the Multidisciplinary Health Outcomes Research and Economics (MORE) Lab at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus (OUHC) to explore survivorship issues among Black CaP survivors. The first, held virtually in June 2024, included watch parties in Georgia and Texas. The second, in November 2024, was hybrid, hosted at OUHC and via Teams with a watch party at the Willa D. Johnson Recreation Center, a community center in Oklahoma City. Panelists included oncologists, psychologists, survivors, partners, and Community Advisory Board members. Both town halls featured survivor storytelling, provider Q&A, and interactive discussion. Post-event surveys captured demographics, satisfaction, and impact. Open-discussion transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, guided by a constructivist framework. Results: A total of 124 participants attended both town halls. Survey respondents (n=17; 13.7%) provided demographic and satisfaction data; remaining insights came from all participants who engaged in open dialogue. Respondents ranged in age from 19-76 years (mean=48.7 ± 21.8). Of the 17 respondents, 93% rated the events as very good or excellent; 23.5% were CaP survivors, all identifying as Black. Five themes emerged: (1) Masculinity, stigma, and silence limit help-seeking; (2) Sexual dysfunction and identity loss cause major emotional burdens; (3) Navigation challenges highlight systemic barriers; (4) Spousal and psychological support aid coping; and (5) Survivorship empowerment. Participants valued hearing “real stories from real men,” validating their experiences. Conclusions: Community town halls are a feasible and culturally relevant strategy to engage Black CaP survivors in survivorship and sexual health discussions. By centering lived experiences and facilitating two-way communication between survivors, clinicians, and researchers, these events build trust and reduce stigma. Future work will assess changes in knowledge, engagement, and confidence in care navigation and explore scaling this community-academic model to improve survivorship QoL. Citation Format: Parisa Ghasemi, Gaurav Kumar, Ernest T. Kaninjing, Adanma Ayanambakkam, Yaw A. Nyame, Amy Siston, Jordan M. Neil, Adam C. Alexander, Andrew G. McIntosh, Yan Zhao, Zsolt Nagykaldi, Kathleen A. Dwyer, Mary Ellen Young, Sabrina Dickey, Daniel Morton, Opeyemi Bolajoko, Darla E. Kendzor, Motolani E. Ogunsanya. Survivorship and sexual health: What we learned from Black men in community town halls [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 2483.

Abstract Background: Cancer survivorship requires significant contributions from family caregivers at home. This role can be burdensome because family members play a vital role in the physical, functional, and emotional well-being of patients diagnosed with cancer. Although optimum care throughout the care continuum requires significant caregiver support at home, family caregivers' contribution to survivorship care is usually neglected. We provide the preliminary outcomes of caregivers' challenges and experiences in providing care and survivorship support to Black cancer survivors. We also identified ways to provide support for family caregivers. Methods: This qualitative study obtained information from 8 caregivers who care for Black cancer survivors who have completed treatment in the United States. The study used a phenomenological design to obtain data from participants. In-depth interviews focused on participants' lived experiences caring for Black patients with cancer. The study captured caregivers' personal stories of how they dealt with diagnosis, feelings, emotions, reactions, understanding of the disease, prognosis, and treatment options and decision process, as well as survivorship of their care recipients. All interviews were video recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcript of each participant's interview was reviewed, analyzed, and coded, with emerging themes interpreted. Results: The major cahllenges identified were (1) lack of knowledge of cancer, the disease and treatment course before the diagnoses; (2) home care burden, which include the challenges of combining care for a sick person at home with caring for other members of the family and taking care of domestic chores; (3) patient care navigation, including identifying healthcare professional for specialist care, adequate health insurances, scheduling doctors' appointment, transportation, insurance and treatment paperwork; (4) financial challenges, especially keeping up with job, family income reduction, increase out of pocket spendings, as well as expensive drugs and treatment co-pays. Most of the caregivers agreed that they neglected their personal health while caring for their care recipient. All caregivers wished they received more information and training on how to care for a patient with cancer. Possible solutions identified were care packets providing information on cancer and how to provide care at home, patient care navigation to social determinants of health and financial support programs, counselling for mental health and emotional support, peer support groups for caregivers, health checks, and a contact to call for support. Conclusion: Caring for cancer patients at home is very challenging; having a care packet and caregiving training is important to support survivorship and reduce the caregiving burden experienced by family caregivers. Citation Format: Opeyemi Oreoluwa Bolajoko, Jada Melton, Mary Ellen Young, Folakemi T. Odedina. Perspectives on cancer survivorship: Voices of family caregivers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 1248.

Introduction: Social media plays a significant role in shaping the behaviors of undergraduates, including food choices. This study examined the influence of social media on food choices and consumption patterns among undergraduates at a Nigerian university. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 400 students was conducted using multistage sampling. Data were collected via a pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic, food consumption, social media use, and its perceived influence on food choices. Analyses were conducted in SPSS v29, reporting means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. Binary logistic regression assessed associations between social media use and food consumption, with significance at P<0.05. Results: Respondents’ mean age was 21.17 ± 2.00 years, with 49.8% aged 15–20. WhatsApp (84.2%) and YouTube (80.7%) were the most used platforms. Over 60% reported that social media influenced their food choices. Confectioneries (70.5%), vegetables (62.5%), and oils (62.3%) were commonly consumed, while alcohol was least consumed (14.5%). Higher social media use was significantly associated with frequent meat and poultry consumption (OR=2.18, P=0.018) and lower odds of oil consumption (OR=0.42, P=0.002). Conclusion: The findings highlight the influence of social media on students’ diets, suggesting the need for nutrition professionals to promote healthier food choices through social platforms.

Abstract Introduction: The disproportionate prostate cancer (CaP) burden, which includes high mortality rates, is significantly attributed to the characteristics of the social determinants of the health status of the Black Male population. Designing targeted interventions to address poor health outcomes through a collaborative population-based approach could reduce CaP health disparities. The Community Living Lab (CoLLab) Learning Health System was developed to address ethnically sensitive, targeted approaches that will eliminate CaP health disparities among Black Men. This study assessed demographic factors and Knowledge on prostate cancer screening attitudes and research participation among black men. Method: The collab project employed a social ecological model to design intervention to address barriers to CaP screening and participation in clinical trials. A validated, pretested questionnaire was used to collect information on demographics, CaP knowledge, attitudes, testing, and a history of participation in research and clinical trials. Baseline data were collected from 3 American Legion posts (ALPs). The association between variables was evaluated using the Chi-square test. Results: Participants between 60-69 years were 28.38%, and those aged 40-49 were 12.16%. Most are US-born Black (89.8%), with others identifying as African-born Black (6.76%) and Caribbean-born Black (1.35%). Approximately 43.24% were retired, and 36.49% were working full-time. CaP knowledge was high in 43.9%, moderate in 46.6%, and low in 9.5%. Only 45% of the participants have undergone Prostate-Specific Antigen test, and 24.6% have had a Digital Rectal Examination. Reported past clinical trials and research participation were very low (9.38%). Participants with higher knowledge levels had higher information scores (p &lt; .0001), favored various research settings (p = 0.0008), had favorable attitudes towards CaP testing (p &lt; .0001), and were more likely to participate in research (p = 0.0117). Work status was found to impact CaP Knowledge (p = 0.0117). Participants with stronger beliefs about prostate cancer may have different attitudes toward testing (p = 0.0444). Age did not impact attitudes toward CaP testing (p = 0.4298). Conclusion: The knowledge of CaP was found to impact the attitudes, testing, and disposition of the participants towards research. The baseline data generated from the clinical study will curate insightful evidence that will create innovative approaches to prostate cancer education among males in Black communities. Citation Format: Opeyemi O. Bolajoko, Quincy A. Wimberly, Daniel W. Lee, Collisa Mahin, Michelle Fudge, Shaina E. Flynn, Arnold J. Merriweather, Trevanne R. Matthews Hew, Monica L. Albertie, Dery Greene, Wayne Ford, Toshiko Moultrie, Floyd B. Willis, Folakemi T. Odedina. Influence of demographic factors and knowledge on prostate cancer screening attitude and research participation among Black men [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 C138.

Prostate cancer represents a significant health disparity among Black men, who experience higher rates of both incidence and mortality compared to other racial groups. Understanding the complex interplay of cultural, familial, and socioeconomic factors that shape health behaviors is essential for the development of effective interventions. This study sought to explore the lived experiences of ethnically diverse Black men with prostate cancer, focusing on how cultural context, family history, and spirituality influence health decisions and engagement with care. Through a secondary analysis of existing data, personal narratives from 32 Black prostate cancer survivors, primarily U.S.-born Black men, were examined to identify recurring themes that revealed the multifaceted challenges and motivations these men face. The analysis uncovered eight key themes that reflect a complex landscape, including medical distrust fueled by cultural perceptions and past negative experiences, the dual influence of family history on seeking early care versus hesitation, and the role of spirituality as a guiding force in health decisions. Additionally, financial constraints and limited access to comprehensive health information emerged as critical factors affecting engagement with preventive care. The findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive approaches that acknowledge the diverse experiences of Black men in their prostate cancer journey. By understanding the influence of family dynamics, spirituality, and socioeconomic challenges, future research can create targeted interventions that promote informed decision-making and help reduce disparities in prostate cancer outcomes.