Impact of Participatory Health Research: A Test of the Community-Based Participatory Research Conceptual Model

John G Oetzel,Tung Nguyen,Jun Wang,Shannon Sanchez-Youngman,Nina Wallerstein,Bonnie Duran,Kent Woo,Joseph Keawe‘Aimoku Kaholokula,Margarita Alegria,Barbara Israel,Amy Schulz

doi:10.1155/2018/7281405

Abstract

Objectives A key challenge in evaluating the impact of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is identifying what mechanisms and pathways are critical for health equity outcomes. Our purpose is to provide an empirical test of the CBPR conceptual model to address this challenge. Methods A three-stage quantitative survey was completed: (1) 294 US CBPR projects with US federal funding were identified; (2) 200 principal investigators completed a questionnaire about project-level details; and (3) 450 community or academic partners and principal investigators completed a questionnaire about perceived contextual, process, and outcome variables. Seven in-depth qualitative case studies were conducted to explore elements of the model not captured in the survey; one is presented due to space limitations. Results We demonstrated support for multiple mechanisms illustrated by the conceptual model using a latent structural equation model. Significant pathways were identified, showing the positive association of context with partnership structures and dynamics. Partnership structures and dynamics showed similar associations with partnership synergy and community involvement in research; both of these had positive associations with intermediate community changes and distal health outcomes. The case study complemented and extended understandings of the mechanisms of how partnerships can improve community conditions. Conclusions The CBPR conceptual model is well suited to explain key relational and structural pathways for impact on health equity outcomes.

Highlights

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) and other forms of community engaged (CEnR) and participatory health research (PHR) are viewed as critical approaches for improving health and health inequity in ethnic/racial minority, underserved, and otherwise vulnerable communities [1,2,3]
The purpose of this study is to provide an empirical test of the CBPR conceptual model to better understand the mechanisms for impact on research results, community conditions, and health equity
The overall measurement model provided a good fit to the data; χ2 (236, N = 161) = 438.97, p < .001, comparative fit index (CFI) = .93, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .91, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) =

Summary

Introduction

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) and other forms of community engaged (CEnR) and participatory health research (PHR) are viewed as critical approaches for improving health and health inequity in ethnic/racial minority, underserved, and otherwise vulnerable communities [1,2,3]. CBPR promotes implementation of innovative, culturally appropriate, and evidence-based interventions that enhance translation of research findings for community and policy change [4, 5]. As a collaborative research approach, CBPR equitably involves community and academic partners, recognizes the unique strengths of each, shares leadership and resources, addresses health problems important to the community, and uses information gained for community benefit [1, 2].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion