An Innovative Training Program for Community Health Workers to Support Engagement of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Genomics Research and Clinical Programs: a Protocol for the Development of the PREFER (PaRtnEring to build understanding oF gEnomics Responsibly) Training Program

Community health workers (CHWs) are trusted members of communities who have well-established relationships with individuals and families, especially among underserved populations. Prior research highlights interest among CHWs in learning about complex topics related to genetics, especially as public awareness is being raised about hereditary conditions. However, to date, there have been limited efforts to train CHWs on these topics of systematically involve this workforce in research related to genetics and genomics applications. To overcome this gap in training opportunities, we will develop a training specifically designed for CHWs to build competencies in genomics, hereditary conditions, and precision health approaches. The PREFER (PaRtnEring to build understanding oF gEnomics Responsibly) training will follow a Delphi process to gather expert feedback and use social cognitive theory and adult learning theory to guide the course content. In this protocol, we outline the planned approach for the development of the PREFER training program components, evaluation outcomes, and delivery plans.