Abstract

With real-world relevance and translatability as important goals, applied methodological approaches have arisen along the participatory continuum that value context and empower stakeholders to partner actively with academics throughout the research process. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) provides the gold standard for equitable, partnered research in traditional communities. Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) also have developed, coalescing communities of practice and of academics to identify, study, and answer practice-relevant questions. To optimize PBRN potential for expanding scientific knowledge, while bridging divides across knowledge production, dissemination, and implementation, we elucidate how PBRN partnerships can be strengthened by applying CBPR principles to build and maintain research collaboratives that empower practice partners. Examining the applicability of CBPR partnership principles to public health (PH) PBRNs, we conclude that PH-PBRNs can serve as authentic, sustainable CBPR partnerships, ensuring the co-production of new knowledge, while also improving and expanding the implementation and impact of research findings in real-world settings.

Highlights

  • As researchers across the social sciences dissect the ethical and moral implications of various approaches to fieldwork (de Laine, 2000; Zeni, 2001), participatory approaches have arisen that support collaborative decisions throughout the research process and resonate with participant values and perspectives (Anyaegbunam, Hoover, & Schwartz, 2010; Beltran, 1993; Brown, Howes, Hussein, Longley, & Swindell, 2002; Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998)

  • Because public health (PH)-Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are intended to conform to participatory ideals (Mays & Hogg, 2012), similarities exist between the development of evidence through PH-PBRNs and Community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches

  • In PH-PBRNs, practitioner partners have both the interest and the authority to act on results; dissemination plans should feature practitioners actively guiding early release of results to optimize real-world uptake and impact

Read more

Summary

Introduction

As researchers across the social sciences dissect the ethical and moral implications of various approaches to fieldwork (de Laine, 2000; Zeni, 2001), participatory approaches have arisen that support collaborative decisions throughout the research process and resonate with participant values and perspectives (Anyaegbunam, Hoover, & Schwartz, 2010; Beltran, 1993; Brown, Howes, Hussein, Longley, & Swindell, 2002; Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998). Because PH-PBRNs are intended to conform to participatory ideals (Mays & Hogg, 2012), similarities exist between the development of evidence through PH-PBRNs and CBPR approaches Both call for relationship building and maintenance, draw on insider knowledge to articulate practical research questions, require non-academic partners to participate in research processes, and rely on diverse partners to translate new knowledge into action (Wallerstein & Duran, 2010). Like clinical PBRNs, practitioners are the end users of evidence generated through PH-PBRNs, as research results are intended to improve practice in the short-term and contribute to the long-term goal of achieving healthier communities This is a key distinction between traditional CBPR partnerships and PBRN partnerships. Upon achieving convergence about the applicability and implications of each principle, the panelists conducted presentations and listening sessions at both the National Association of County & City Health Officials

CBPR recognizes community as a unit of identity
CBPR builds on strengths and resources within the community
CBPR involves a long-term process and commitment
CBPR involves systems development through a cyclical and iterative process
Results
CBPR promotes co-learning and capacity-building among all partners
Discussion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.