Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss comprise health disparity populations overlooked by most public health research, surveillance and programs. The mission of the Rochester Prevention Research Center (RPRC) is to promote health and prevent disease with populations of Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users and people with hearing loss through community-based participatory research (CBPR). A RPRC goal is to eliminate health disparities experienced by populations of Deaf ASL users and people with hearing loss. RPRC will work to achieve the mission and goal through five aims: Aim 1 -- To administer and maintain RPRC to carry out CBPR with its partner communities; Aim 2 -- To build RPRC capacity for community- engaged public health research and programs, and to scale those programs to reach all who would benefit; Aim 3 -- To build public health and healthcare infrastructure through training programs that increase the nation's capacity to: 1) conduct health promotion programs designed to reach deaf people and people with hearing loss, and 2) include deaf people and people with hearing loss in the public health workforce; Aim 4 -- To disseminate RPRC products and services to key audiences; Aim 5 -- To conduct an applied public health prevention research project to further the implementation, dissemination, and translation into practice of Deaf Weight Wise (DWW), an evidence-based intervention to promote healthy physical activity, diet and weight with Deaf ASL users. The overall goal of this RPRC implementation research project is to study with diverse partners the approaches and strategies that lead to successful implementation of DWW. This research is responsive to the Deaf community in that it focuses on: 1) obesity, a health disparity that the Deaf community selected as a research priority, 2) implementation and the request that RPRC translate DWW from research into a health program that is available to those who would benefit, and 3) scalability and the request that the benefits of RPRC research be extended to reach Deaf communities outside of Rochester NY. RPRC accomplishments at the end of this funding period will include: enhanced capacity for CBPR with communities of Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss; data to inform implementation strategies and scale to connect Deaf Weight Wise programs with deaf communities; expanded RPRC reach, with stronger and new partnerships with deaf communities and implementation partners within and outside of Rochester NY; communications and products, in English and American Sign Language, to inform communities, researchers, and other stakeholders of RPRC methods, results, programs, and services. RPRC activities support the Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) goal to promote the health and well-being of people with disabilities. RPRC research aligns with CDC Chronic Disease Prevention Domains, CDC HI-5 interventions, and other HP2020 goals.

Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss comprise two populations that are overlooked by most public health research, surveillance and programs. The mission of the Rochester Prevention Research Program (RPRC) is to promote health and prevent disease with these two populations through community- based participatory research (CBPR). RPRC, Deaf communities, and other stakeholders are working together to study the implementation of Deaf Weight Wise, an evidence-based healthy lifestyle program to treat and prevent obesity with Deaf adult sign language users.