Abstract
Purpose: Community-based training in public health research can build capacity for community-based participatory research (CBPR) and foster health partnerships between academics and stakeholders. We describe a community-academic partnership developed from a 15-week program, the Community Research Fellows Training (CRFT), designed to increase research literacy and facilitate equitable relationships in community/researcher collaborations and partnerships. The article provides a description of a community and faculty collaboration to conduct a participatory pilot research project that followed program completion.Methods: Four CRFT program alumni formed a community research team and selected a faculty mentor. After a request for proposal release, the team developed a pilot research proposal that addressed a concern for mental health among women experiencing economic stress. After completion of the pilot research, the community researchers elected to participate in two dissemination efforts, including a manuscript reflecting on their research experience. Team successes, challenges, and recommendations for future training are discussed.Results: Each member of the CRFT pilot research team reflects on how training prepared community members to conduct CBPR research through development and implementation of a pilot research project. Community researchers gained experience in grant proposal development, choosing appropriate health interventions, conducting in-person surveys and telephone interviews, and disseminating study findings.Conclusions: Providing training in public health research before community/researcher collaboration can increase community capacity to engage in research as equitable partners in research question development, study design, and data interpretation and dissemination. The project success suggests that this and similar programs maximize the potential of community-academic health partnerships to address health disparities.
Highlights
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is believed to promote community participation in research, which may increase the accuracy of the data collected and how those data are interpreted.[1]
We provide an example of how we developed and implemented a CBPR pilot project between academic researchers and community members who had completed a public health research training program
Principal Investigator’’ (PI), and a final report submitted to the funder and participating communitybased organizations (CBOs)
Summary
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is believed to promote community participation in research, which may increase the accuracy of the data collected and how those data are interpreted.[1]. The basic knowledge of research methods, study design, and research terminology, is needed to increase community research capacity.[5]. Research institutions can implement research literacy training as a component of capacity building to position community partners for full participation in the research process.[5–8]. Community partners are able to promote co-learning—or sharing and transferring knowledge, skills, capacity, and power so that findings and knowledge benefit all partners—by inviting researchers to participate with them as they describe the issues that affect their communities and their ideas to address the issues of greatest concern.[3,9]. When opportunities for pilot research are made available, the institutional implementation of research literacy training and community partner/researcher collaboration on community-initiated research provides both parties with the knowledge and opportunity to fully implement CBPR.[6,8]
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