Dr. Juan Canedo, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, is a community-engaged researcher trained in sociology, health sciences, and health disparities. His personal and professional experience working in community-based organizations inspired his commitment to addressing the social inequalities experienced by Hispanic immigrants and other vulnerable populations in the U.S. His overall research is to contribute to reducing health disparities through cancer control and prevention.

Through his research, Dr. Canedo explores the system, provider, and patient barriers to cancer control and prevention to develop interventions to overcome these barriers using clinical decision support and developing culturally- and linguistically-appropriate patient education among racial/ethnic minorities.

In particular, he is interested in integrating bilingual (English and Spanish) patient-centered education about cancer control and prevention to empower them to make informed decisions about adherence to recommended follow-up to their medical care to address cancer health disparities.

Dr. Canedo is currently conducting the Hispanic Community Perceptions of Needs and Opportunities for Cancer Prevention and Screening in Kentucky pilot project with UNITE RPA support. He is also conducting a formative research project with NCI support to develop culturally, linguistically, and appropriate literacy-level behavioral interventions focused on Barriers and Facilitators to Adherence to Follow-up Care after positive HPV testing among Hispanic women.