(P30-41-26) Comparing Researcher and Community Member Perspectives on Food Access and Cancer Risk in Baltimore, Maryland Using Group Model Building

Objectives: Diet-related cancers are a major public health concern, driven in part by inequitable urban food access. Understanding multiple stakeholder perspectives is critical for designing effective prevention tools and interventions. This study compared how Baltimore cancer researchers and community members conceptualize multidirectional relationships between food access and cancer risk using Group Model Building (GBM).

Methods: Three virtual GMB workshops (N=19 total participants) were conducted between April 2025-January 2026. The first comprised cancer researchers (n=7) affiliated with a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center; the second (n=3) and third (n=9) comprised community members recruited through partner organizations and social media. Participants identified factors influencing food access and cancer risk through facilitated brainstorming session. A trained researcher mapped the factors in real-time to generate causal loop diagrams (CLDs), which were refined and comparatively analyzed for shared vs. unique contributions.

Results: The three CLDs contained 43, 34, and 26 factors, respectively. Five shared factors emerged: diet quality, access to healthy food, healthcare access, nutrition education, and transportation. Researchers uniquely emphasized biological mechanisms (microbiome, cellular oxidation), specific dietary risks (red meat, alcohol), and clinical processes (screening, early detection). Community members highlighted economic and structural barriers (cost of healthy foods, reliance on corner stores), community assets (community gardens), Baltimore-specific contextual factors (traditional FV vendors, vacant lots, EBT grocery delivery), and policy levers (staple foods ordinances, grocery incentives, zoning).

Conclusions: Researchers and community members hold distinct but complementary mental models of food access and cancer risk. Community perspectives elevated local barriers and policy-relevant intervention points that were less emphasized by researchers. These insights are guiding development of a composite CLD and future simulation model that connects food access interventions to predicted cancer outcomes to support equitable, community-informed prevention planning.

Funding Sources: Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund