PREEMpT Project

Cancer Prevention through Enhanced Environment (Cancer PREEMpT)

The PREEMpT project tests whether a comprehensive multilevel intervention can reduce community-level cancer risk in areas across Birmingham. The multilevel intervention works to improve the built and social environment of communities in Birmingham.

To meet its aims, PREEMpT will partner with Live HealthSmart Alabama to facilitate improvements to the built environment (lighting, green space, traffic calming, etc.), social environment, and access to care via the Mobile Wellness Van.

If successful, these improvements to the living environment will lower cancer risk by decreasing cancer risk factors like low physical activity, low cancer screening, and high stress. We expect the multilevel intervention to increase opportunities to safely exercise, improve the availability and access of health care, and reduce stress and isolation.

BECOME A PREEMPT PARTICIPANT

Built Environment

The built environment includes features that impact a resident’s ability to make healthy choices, such as participating in physical activity (running, walking, etc.) and accessing preventive care. Built environment enhancements will include:

Improvements in neighborhood features such as blight, lighting, sidewalks and green spaces
Access to a mobile wellness van for health assessments, screenings, and referrals

Social Environment

The social environment includes social cohesion, social capital, community trust, and collective efficacy; which will be enhanced by the inclusion of:

Grants for community events and initiatives
Community Leadership Academy
Community Coaches

Intervention Areas

The PREEMpT project will be implemented in five Birmingham neighborhoods (the Northside community), including: Evergreen, Norwood, Druid Hills, Fountain Heights, and Central City. If you’re a member of one of these communities and would like to participate in our PREEmPT project, call the number below today!

CALL (205) 975-7904

PREEMpT Project Research Framework

Similar to the CARES Center, PREEMpT follows the Alcaraz framework, published in 2020, with a particular focus on the living environments. To conceptualize the living environments further, we utilize a framework by Gomez et al. that illustrates how the living (social and built) environments impact the cancer continuum.