Meaningful Community-Engaged Partnerships: Lessons Learned from Implementing a Community Health Needs Survey among Asian American and Pacific Islander Subgroups.

Abstract

Community-based needs assessments are instrumental to address gaps in data collection and reporting, as well as to guide research, policy, and practice decisions to address health disparities in under-resourced communities. The New York University Center for the Study of Asian American Health collaboratively developed and administered a large-scale health needs assessment in diverse, low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in New York City and three U.S. regional areas using an in-person or web-based, community-engaged approach. Community-engaged processes were modified over the course of three survey rounds, and findings were shared back to communities of interest using community preferred channels and modalities. Sustaining multiyear, on-the-ground engagement to drive community research efforts requires active bidirectional communication and delivery of tangible support to maintain trust between partners. Findings to facilitate community health programming and initiatives were built from lessons learned and informed by new and existing community-based partners.