Building Community Engagement Research Articles

Building Community Engagement Capacity in a Transdisciplinary Population Health Research Consortium

Community engagement has been named a research priority by the National Institutes of Health, and scholars are calling for community engagement as an approach to address racism and equity in science. Robust community-engaged research can improve research quality, increase inclusion of traditionally marginalized populations, broaden the impact of findings on real-life situations, and is particularly valuable for underexplored research topics. The goal of this paper is to describe lessons learned and best practices that emerged from community engagement in a multi-institution population health research consortium. We describe how a foundation was laid to enable community-engaged research activities in the consortium, using a staged and stepped process to build and embed multi-level community-engaged research approaches. We staged our development to facilitate (a) awareness of community engagement among consortium members, (b) the building of solidarity and alliances, and (c) the initiation of long-term engagement to allow for meaningful research translation. Our stepped process involved strategic planning; building momentum; institutionalizing engagement into the consortium infrastructure; and developing, implementing, and evaluating a plan. We moved from informal, one-time community interactions to systematic, formalized, capacity-building reciprocal engagement. We share our speed bumps and troubleshooting that inform our recommendations for other large research consortia—including investing the time it takes to build up community engagement capacity, acknowledging and drawing on strengths of the communities of interest, assuring a strong infrastructure of accountability for community engagement, and grounding the work in anti-racist principles.  

Building community engagement with caregivers through online interaction and a salutogenic approach in a period of isolation.

Informal caregivers are essential figures that deal with the effects of dependence in the elderly. However, they suffer from poorer health-related quality of life, particularly regarding mental health. Social support is crucial, but this was suspended or dramatically reduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Salutogenesis theory explores the contributing factors for the promotion and maintenance of health. Considering all these, we offered caregivers the opportunity to join a participatory project aimed at creating communication spaces where they could share experiences, think together about potential solutions, and explore which salutogenic actions they used in their daily basis and how they had changed during Covid-19 restrictions. We used a qualitative methodology with a socio-constructivist and phenomenological approach and purposive sampling. We organized two focus groups consisting of online semi-structured discussions with seven participants in total. Conversations were videotaped and transcribed and we conducted content thematic analyses using the NVivo software. Caregiving in our setting are primarily women with high levels of education that do not always feel comfortable with this load because it interferes with their personal and professional lives. The pandemic increased caregivers feelings of loneliness, resignation, and burden, directly affecting their mental health. Furthermore, the disappearance of prevention programs and the difficulties to access healthcare services produced negative consequences on the already fragile elderly and their family caregivers. The pandemic and its restrictions exacerbated the problematics affecting informal caregivers. Although these people are aware of their situation and have valued knowledge of how to improve their health, they cannot always put it into practice. We call policymakers to reframe interventions aimed at caregivers by introducing the voice of the community in the planning and to rethink the management of vulnerable people and their carers in other potential health crises.

Advancing Health Equity: An Innovative Program for Building Community Engagement in Research

Abstract: Background: The Community Research Fellows (CRF) program seeks to mobilize New Haven residents with lower incomes or from communities of color who are educated and equipped to engage as equal partners in health research at Yale University. The training program combines curriculum-based information with 'on-the-ground' experience with Yale research projects, while building relationships between CRFs and researchers. The Community Alliance for Research and Engagement launched two consecutive cohorts of the program in 2018–2020. Objectives: To assess the effect of the CRF program on participants' knowledge of the research process and confidence to engage in research and participants' satisfaction and perspectives on the program. Methods: The evaluation of the CRF program included four components: 1) Pre- and Post- Program Surveys to assess change in confidence and self-reported knowledge. 2) Curriculum Feedback Satisfaction Survey to gauge satisfaction and make program improvements after each training session. 3) Post-Program CRF Interviews to explore their CRF experiences. 4) Research Team Surveys to assess program satisfaction and areas for improvement. Results: CRFs reported increased confidence and knowledge, personal and professional growth, and interest in community-engaged research. Overall, participants were very satisfied with each training module. Conclusions: The CRF program demonstrated that community members are well-suited, well-positioned, and eager to engage in and inform public health research. CRFs bring capacity and valuable perspective to research teams. The CRF training program offers an innovative approach to address power imbalances in research and to move towards more equitable community–university partnerships for improved health outcomes.

Moving beyond data collection: Fostering community engagement in community music schools

Mission-driven nonprofit organizations sometimes struggle within a cycle of disempowerment resulting from oversaturation of data collection that is reactive to funder demands. In this article, we problematize Community Music School (CMS) data-collection and analysis efforts and discuss alternate approaches to learning about family and community desires and building community engagement. We first review literature on CMS goals, CMS engagement with communities, and the importance of student voice in educational research. Then, we briefly describe secondary analysis of a data subset from a previous study as context for critical discussion. Finally, drawing on literature from communications, urban planning, and school-family engagement, we make broader suggestions for how CMS can transform data collection practices into pathways for community engagement. We assert data quality and usefulness may improve when institutions seek input from community members who have not elected to participate and when CMS involve stakeholders in program design, goal setting, and measurement schemes from the outset. To that end, we describe three frameworks that could help CMS improve community engagement and make suggestions for future research.

Community engagement initiative amid climate change crisis: Empirical evidence from a survey across Bangkok Metropolis of Thailand

According to the Paris Agreement on climate change regulations and Sustainable Development Goal 13, Low Carbon City, a community-based action, shall be widely used to encourage the transformation of cities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from daily life. However, the concept of Low Carbon City requires community engagement from inhabitants, but building community engagement remains a considerable challenge, especially in low- to middle-income countries worldwide. Bangkok is one of the megacities vulnerable to climate change. This study focuses on analyzing the factors affecting the community engagement initiative to transform Bangkok into a low-carbon city. The study used a quantitative research technique with a sample size of 2000. The results reveal that 11 factors influence the success of the community engagement initiative in the transition to a low-carbon city. These critical factors include the salience on climate change, experience with climate change threats, significance of climate change, response of government officers to climate change, negative or positive emotion toward climate change, trust in the community and the municipal administration, and community affiliation, solidarity, and participation. Additionally, based on the stepwise multiple regression, statistical models were proposed to explain how the critical factors affecting community engagement transform Bangkok into a low-carbon city.

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR DELIVERING CO-CREATION VALUE (Case: Paguyuban Sentra Industri Tempe Sanan-Malang Jawa Timur)

Building community engagement involving consumers, business actors, and others stakeholders as part of a marketing strategy for creating value co-creation has become a new phenomenon. This research provides a conceptual model of community-based action to assess its impact on value co-creation and how far it affects behavioral components in order to resolve the problem (intention and actual use). The suggested model can be used to conduct research to increase product purchase intent with high community involvement. Interviews and observations have been conducted at the Sentra Industri Tempe Sanan-Malang (East Java) to accurately execute the model, whose success is supported by the community's strength in the form of the association (Paguyuban). The research was conducted in July–August 2021 with the participation of 30 locals. The findings of the initial identification strongly support employing the suggested model in subsequent studies. Keywords: Actual Purchase, Behaviour, Community Engagement, Intention to repurchase, Value Co-creation.

Case studies from the experience of early career researchers in East Africa in building community engagement in research.

Background: In this paper, we explain how three early career researchers actively engaged community members in their health research projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and what was learnt from the experience. The research project in Kenya was on camel trypanosomiasis and the role of camel biting keds (or louse flies) in disease transmission. The project in Tanzania looked at the effect of human immunodeficiency virus and antiretroviral therapy on fertility and ascertained the trends in the use of family planning services amongst women of reproductive age. The focus of the project in Uganda was the implementation of maternal death surveillance and the response policy to determine the cause of maternal deaths and how they might be prevented. Methods: In the three different settings, efforts to ensure local community engagement provided a focus for the researchers to hone their skills in explaining research concepts and working in partnership with community members to co-develop ideas, their research methods and outputs. Results: Involvement of communities in scientific research, which entailed a two-way mutual engagement process, led to (i) generation of new research ideas that shaped the work, (ii) strengthened mutual trust, and (iii) promoted uptake of research findings. Conclusion: Our key findings strongly support the need for considering community engagement as one of the key components in research studies.

Case studies from the experience of early career researchers in East Africa in building community engagement in research

Background: In this paper, we explain how three early career researchers actively engaged community members in their health research projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and what was learnt from the experience. The research project in Kenya was on camel trypanosomiasis and the role of camel biting keds (or louse flies) in disease transmission. The project in Tanzania looked at the effect of human immunodeficiency virus and antiretroviral therapy on fertility and ascertained the trends in the use of family planning services amongst women of reproductive age. The focus of the project in Uganda was the implementation of maternal death surveillance and the response policy to determine the cause of maternal deaths and how they might be prevented. Methods: In the three different settings, efforts to ensure local community engagement provided a focus for the researchers to hone their skills in explaining research concepts and working in partnership with community members to co-develop ideas, their research methods and outputs. Results: Involvement of communities in scientific research, which entailed a two-way mutual engagement process, led to (i) generation of new research ideas that shaped the work, (ii) strengthened mutual trust, and (iii) promoted uptake of research findings. Conclusion: Our key findings strongly support the need for considering community engagement as one of the key components in research studies.

Blood pressure reduction as a result of the Boxville Vitals partnership

AbstractIntroductionBoxville Vitals is a blood pressure and blood glucose testing site in Chicago Illinois facilitated by students and faculty of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy during the weekly arrival of a mobile produce grocer to Boxville Marketplace. Boxville Vitals focuses on trust‐building and accessibility of care.ObjectivesThe primary objective was to build community engagement by increasing weekly participation and secondarily, to observe a change in blood pressure among returning patrons.MethodsBlood pressure and blood glucose testing was offered from August through October 2021. Patients were “nudged” to care through a “stress‐free” approach. No diagnoses were made. Only “new” vs “returning” status was recorded. Weekly attendance was used to measure engagement. A Mann‐Whitney U test was performed using Prism to compare mean reductions in blood pressures among “new” and “returning” patrons.ResultsOf 84 results collected, 65 were blood pressures; 48 new and 17 returning results. The 8‐week program elicited robust engagement; 21% returned for follow‐up. A mean reduction of 13.95 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure (95% confidence interval, P < .02) was found between the two groups.ConclusionBoxville Vitals shows that an intrinsically motivated population can be meaningfully served by bringing care within reach. Clinically significant reductions in systolic blood pressures were found.

Building community engagement and teacher support in education: qualitative findings from process evaluations in two exceptional settings

ABSTRACT This paper presents findings from a qualitative evaluation of Caritas’ Essence of Learning programme, which provides educational and psychosocial support to children in exceptional living situations. We analyse approaches to community and teacher engagement for: (1) a pilot programme in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and (2) an established, government-partnered programme serving Roma children in Satu Mare, Romania. The results indicate that ongoing community engagement is a necessary condition. Moreover, local ownership and continuous staff mentorship are key to programme quality. The paper discusses practical approaches to community engagement and how findings can be applied to emergency education.

Personal growth and insight gained from an intergenerational service-learning course in Hong Kong undergraduate students

ABSTRACT Thirty-six undergraduate students were required to complete a compulsory intergenerational service-learning subject that aims to develop them ability to communicate with elderly and apply essential principles to promote health in community setting. Students organized center activities or conducted home visits in nine weeks. A content analysis on students’ reflective essay after the intergenerational service-learning subject was conducted to evaluate their personal growth and insights into elderly community health services. Results indicated that students were able to apply the skills of health promotion, show empathy, identify needs of elderly services and build community engagement.

Adopting a "Compound" Exposome Approach in Environmental Aging Biomarker Research: A Call to Action for Advancing Racial Health Equity.

Background:In June 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a virtual workshop focused on integrating the science of aging and environmental health research. The concurrent COVID-19 pandemic and national attention on racism exposed shortcomings in the environmental research field’s conceptualization and methodological use of race, which have subsequently hindered the ability of research to address racial health disparities. By the workshop’s conclusion, the authors deduced that the utility of environmental aging biomarkers—aging biomarkers shown to be specifically influenced by environmental exposures—would be greatly diminished if these biomarkers are developed absent of considerations of broader societal factors—like structural racism—that impinge on racial health equity.Objectives:The authors reached a post-workshop consensus recommendation: To advance racial health equity, a “compound” exposome approach should be widely adopted in environmental aging biomarker research. We present this recommendation here.Discussion:The authors believe that without explicit considerations of racial health equity, people in most need of the benefits afforded by a better understanding of the relationships between exposures and aging will be the least likely to receive them because biomarkers may not encompass cumulative impacts from their unique social and environmental stressors. Employing an exposome approach that allows for more comprehensive exposure–disease pathway characterization across broad domains, including the social exposome and neighborhood factors, is the first step. Exposome-centered study designs must then be supported with efforts aimed at increasing the recruitment and retention of racially diverse study populations and researchers and further “compounded” with strategies directed at improving the use and interpretation of race throughout the publication and dissemination process. This compound exposome approach maximizes the ability of our science to identify environmental aging biomarkers that explicate racial disparities in health and best positions the environmental research community to contribute to the elimination of racial health disparities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8392

Neighborhood variation in unsolved homicides: a retrospective cohort study in Indianapolis, Indiana, 2007\u20132017

BackgroundHomicide is a widely acknowledged public health problem in the United States. The majority of homicides are committed with a firearm and have long-term health consequences for family members and entire communities. When left unsolved, violence may be perpetuated due to the retaliatory nature of homicides. Improving homicide clearance rates may help prevent future violence, however, we know little about the community-level social dynamics associated with unsolved homicides.MethodsThis study examines the individual-and-community-level social processes associated with low homicide clearance rates in Indianapolis, Indiana between 2007 and 2017. Homicide clearance is the primary outcome, defined as if a perpetrator was arrested for that homicide case between 2007 and 2017. Individual-level variables include the victim’s race/ethnicity, sex, and age. Community-level (i.e., census tracts) variables include the number of resident complaints against the police, resident complains of community disorder, income inequality, number of police interactions, and proportion of African American residents.ResultsIn Indianapolis over a 11-year period, the homicide clearance rate decreased to a low of 38% in 2017, compared to a national clearance rate of 60%. Homicide case clearance was less likely for minority (OR 0.566; 95% CI, 0.407–0.787; p < 0.01) and male (OR 0.576; 95% CI, 0.411–0.807; p < 0.01) victims. Resident complaints of community disorder were associated with a decreased odds of case clearance (OR 0.687; 95% CI, 0.485–0.973; p < .01)., African American victim’s cases were less likely to be cleared in 2014–2017 (OR 0.640; 95% CI, 0.437–0.938; p < 0.05), compared to 2007.ConclusionsOur study identified differences in neighborhood social processes associated with homicide clearance, indicating existing measures on these community factors are complex. Programs aimed at improving signs of community disorder and building community engagement may improve neighborhood clearance rates, lower violence, and improve the health of these communities.

Lessons Learned from the CORE Group Polio Project and Their Relevance for Other Global Health Priorities.

.Despite numerous setbacks, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has implemented various community strategies with potential application for other global health issues. This article reviews strategies implemented by the CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP), including pursuit of the missed child, microplanning, independent campaign monitoring, using community health workers and community mobilizers to build community engagement, community-based surveillance, development of the capacity to respond to other health needs, targeting geographic areas at high risk, the secretariat model for non-governmental organization collaboration, and registration of vital events. These strategies have the potential for contributing to the reduction of child and maternal mortality in hard-to-reach, underserved populations around the world. Community-based surveillance as developed by the CGPP also has potential for improving global health security, now a global health priority.

Qualitative Analysis of Partnerships' Effect on Implementation of a Nationally Led Community-Based Initiative.

The American Heart Association (AHA) was funded to implement a nationally led initiative to implement policy, systems, and environment (PSE) interventions in communities across the United States. In Cohort 1, 15 communities were tasked with working with local community partners to plan and implement initiatives. Engaged as the evaluators, Texas A&M researchers conducted telephone interviews with project managers (employed by AHA) and community partners representing the 15 communities. Interviewees were asked questions pertaining to partnership planning and involvement in initiatives and overall perceptions of the impact of the program. Interviews were analyzed qualitatively using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research as the guiding framework. Thematic analysis revealed that partners were used in planning and implementing initiatives and felt that initiatives were successful in building community engagement. Some noted success in PSE changes, although this was not a major focus of respondents, regardless of it being a main indicator for the funder. Themes reveal several recommendations for those embarking on community-level work. Those recommendations include (1) build on existing priorities, (2) focus on incremental steps that build toward the bigger goal, (3) use national organizations to move more quickly, and (4) leverage resources through collaborative efforts.

Establishing a sustainable childhood obesity monitoring system in regional Victoria

Issue addressed Childhood obesity poses a significant immediate and long-term burden to individuals, societies and health systems. Infrequent and inadequate monitoring has led to uncertainty about trends in childhood obesity prevalence in many countries. High-quality data, collected at regular intervals, over extended timeframes, with high response rates and timely feedback are essential to support prevention efforts. Our aim was to establish a sustainable childhood obesity monitoring system in regional Australia to collect accurate anthropometric and behavioural data, provide timely feedback to communities and build community engagement and capacity. Methods All schools from six government regions of South-West Victoria were invited to participate. Passive (opt-out) consent was used to collect measured anthropometric and self-reported behavioural data from children in years 2, 4, and 6, aged 7-12 years. Results We achieved a 70% school participation rate (n=46) and a 93% student response rate (n=2198) among government and independent schools. Results were reported within 10 weeks post data collection. Harnessing high levels of community engagement throughout the planning, data collection and reporting phases increased community capacity and data utility. Conclusions The monitoring system achieved high response rates, community engagement and community capacity building, and delivered results back to the community in a timely manner. So what? This system has the potential to provide sustainable monitoring of childhood obesity that is not dependent on external funding. The results of this monitoring will likely inform health promotion efforts in communities across the region.

Community-supported slum-upgrading: Innovations from Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya

Slum upgrading is accepted as a priority for sustainable development. While there are clear challenges to upgrading, local support and community engagement are seen as essential to success. Typical “top-down” approaches led by institutions with power and resources may fail to generate local engagement. Conversely, initiatives led by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) or other self-help groups may garner good community support but may lack institutional and material resources to meet objectives. A hybrid approach that engages the community while mobilizing the resources of governments and large agencies can overcome some of these limitations, but it is not without complications. We examine the process and impact of a slum upgrading pilot project in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, that operationalized this hybrid approach by adopting an adaptive management model to promote community engagement. The project was part of the Government of Kenya's Kenya Slum Upgrading Program and involved the Kibera Water and Sanitation Project led by UN-Habitat's Urban Basic Services Branch. The project showed significant early success in building community engagement, but it also encountered significant challenges. We assess the project's success in building community engagement by (a) analyzing documents that reflected the institutional discourse related to the project, (b) examining the record of the implementation of the project, and (c) conducting field surveys and interviews to assess community perception of the project. Survey results show that critical infrastructure in the community has improved over the course of the project and expectations for continued improvement in the future have developed. The study concludes that using an adaptive management approach and strongly promoting community involvement should be the aim of institutions delivering slum-upgrading projects and that this can result in effective, successful development outcomes. While the approach does present significant risks of creating unrealistic expectations, the benefits to project management are clear.

Mechanisms underpinning interventions to reduce sexual violence in armed conflict: A realist-informed systematic review.

Sexual violence is recognised as a widespread consequence of armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. The limited evidence in literature on interventions in this field suggests a need for alternatives to traditional review methods, particularly given the challenges of undertaking research in conflict and crisis settings. This study employed a realist review of the literature on interventions with the aim of identifying the mechanisms at work across the range of types of intervention. The realist approach is an exploratory and theory-driven review method. It is well suited to complex interventions as it takes into account contextual factors to identify mechanisms that contribute to outcomes. The limited data available indicate that there are few deterrents to sexual violence in crises. Four main mechanisms appear to contribute to effective interventions: increasing the risk to offenders of being detected; building community engagement; ensuring community members are aware of available help for and responses to sexual violence; and safe and anonymous systems for reporting and seeking help. These mechanisms appeared to contribute to outcomes in multiple-component interventions, as well as those relating to gathering firewood, codes of conduct for personnel and legal interventions. Drawing on pre-existing capacity or culture in communities is an additional mechanism which should be explored. Though increasing the risk to offenders of being detected was assumed to be a central mechanism in deterring sexual violence, the evidence suggests that this mechanism operated only in interventions focused on gathering firewood and providing alternative fuels. The other three mechanisms appeared important to the likelihood of an intervention being successful, particularly when operating simultaneously. In a field where robust outcome research remains likely to be limited, realist methods provide opportunities to understand existing evidence. Our analysis identifies the important potential of building in mechanisms involving community engagement, awareness of responses and safe reporting provisions into the range of types of intervention for sexual violence in crises.

Ready, engage! outreach for library data services

EDITOR'S SUMMARYThe demand for data management planning and archiving is expanding, largely prompted by funding agencies, with researchers turning to librarians for help. The Montana State University library is responding with a three‐part strategy to promote data management services, focusing on partnerships, social media use and simple marketing messages. The library has partnered with university stakeholders in research development, information technology and data management, clarifying roles and integrating related efforts. Overlapping goals become points of collaboration. Social media is a growing channel for building community engagement, relying on Twitter, Facebook and a blog. Streamlined and artistically designed promotional materials highlight concise bullet points with content related to researchers' career goals.

Building Community Engagement in Nursing

Increasingly, nurses are expected to undertake activities to demonstrate community engagement as part of their continuing professional development. Such collaborative education activities can be mutually beneficial and stimulating, and when goals are aligned, valuable outcomes can be produced.