Increased Community Engagement Research Articles

Health-Related Participatory Research in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Scoping Review.

A scoping review was conducted to assess the state of the literature on health-related participatory research involving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Online databases were searched for relevant articles published between 1/1/2000 and 5/31/2017. 10,000+ data points relevant to community-level engagement in and regulation of research, community research capacity and cultural adaptation were extracted from 178 articles. Community engagement varied across study components: 136 (76%) articles reported community participation in research-related meetings and other events and 49 (27%) articles reported community involvement in initiation of research. 156 (88%) articles reported use of community-level tools to guide or regulate research. 93 (52%) articles reported that community members received research-related training. 147 (82%) articles described some type of cultural adaptation. Across all articles, data points on community engagement were not reported in 3061 (40%) out of 7740 cases. Findings suggest a need for increased community engagement in early stages of the research process and for reporting guidelines for participatory research involving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. There is also need to further existing research on the impact of different components of participatory research on process and outcome measures and to develop funding mechanisms that account for the time and resource intensive nature of participatory research.

Community-Based Payments for Ecosystem Services (CB-PES): Implications of community involvement for program outcomes

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs have become increasingly common throughout Latin America as a mechanism for incentivizing conservation and restoration of degraded lands. By directly engaging with communities, Community-Based PES (CB-PES) initiatives may be uniquely suited to overcome the challenges encountered by larger, national programs in terms of improving local outcomes and maintaining community support. Here, we present a conceptual framework for evaluating the contextual factors influencing community participation in PES and the outcomes of community participation. We apply the framework to analyze the published CB-PES literature. The literature demonstrates how a range of participatory mechanisms can improve social capital, community assets and the legitimacy of PES, which may feedback to improve community support over time. However, there is limited evidence that CB-PES improves environmental outcomes and mixed evidence for equity and economic efficiency outcomes. There is also wide variation in the level of community engagement in CB-PES. In some contexts, additional efforts may be needed to strengthen property rights and institutional capacity to increase community engagement in CB-PES.

Identifying and Allocating Resources for Learning Improvement

This article investigates efforts by rural superintendents and rural principals to identify and leverage the local resources available to them to support learning improvement agendas within their schools. This study investigates practices within a diverse range of rural schools located in Washington State to understand how resources can be identified and allocated to best support student learning. In addition, this article explores the importance of family and community engagement in administrators' school improvement agendas. The conceptual framework for this study is informed by literature investigating resource allocation for educational improvement. This study was designed to better understand how rural education leaders identify, leverage, and allocate supports and resources, particularly those available within their immediate communities, to meet the needs of their staff and students. The rural schools represented in this study demonstrate trends in student achievement gains, despite challenges facing rural schools, such as increasing economic stratification in rural communities and diseconomies of scale in operating small schools and districts. Administrators meet these challenges by (a) maximizing teacher's instructional time through assuming duties often performed by nonadministrative personnel in other settings, thereby reaffirming the particularly multifaceted nature of rural school leadership; (b) forging formal and informal partnerships within the immediate community and geographic region to support student learning; and (c) leveraging the interconnected nature of rural communities in ways that increase community engagement in schools. Thoughtful community engagement strategies help manage the external politics of resource distribution within schools and ultimately materialize support for student learning.

Recruitment and retention of US South Asians for an epidemiologic cohort: Experience from the MASALA study.

There are few longitudinal studies about South Asians (SAs) and little information about recruitment and retention approaches for this ethnic group. We followed 906 SAs enrolled in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort for 5 years. Surviving participants were invited for a second clinical exam from 2015 to 2018. A new wave of participants was recruited during 2017-2018. We assessed the yields from different methods of recruitment and retention. A total of 759 (83%) completed the second clinical exam, and 258 new participants were enrolled. Providing a nearby community hospital location for the study exam, offering cab/shared ride reimbursement, and conducting home visits were the most effective methods for enhancing retention. New participant recruitment targeted women and individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and we found that participant referrals and active community engagement were most effective. Mailing invitational letters to those identified by electronic health records had very low yield. Recruitment and retention strategies that address transportation barriers and increase community engagement will help increase the representation of SAs in health research.

Sustainability and Scale of the Saving Mothers, Giving Life Approach in Uganda and Zambia.

Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) significantly reduced maternal and perinatal mortality in Uganda and Zambia by using a district health systems strengthening approach to address the key delays women and newborns face in receiving quality, timely, and appropriate medical care. This article documents the transition of SMGL from pilot to scale in Uganda and Zambia and analyzes the sustainability of the approach, examining the likelihood of maintaining positive trends in maternal and newborn health in both countries. We analyzed the potential sustainment of SMGL achievements using a tool adapted from the HIV-focused domains and elements of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Sustainability Index and Dashboard for maternal and neonatal health pro-gramming adding a domain on community normative change. Information for each of the 5 resulting domains was drawn from SMGL and non-SMGL reports, individual stakeholder interviews, and group discussions. In both Uganda and Zambia, the SMGL proof-of-concept phase catalyzed commitment to saving mothers and newborns and a renewed belief that significant change is possible. Increased leadership and accountability for maternal and newborn health, particularly at the district and facility levels, was bolstered by routine maternal death surveillance reviews that engaged a wide range of local leadership. The SMGL district-strengthening model was found to be cost-effective with cost of death averted estimated at US$177-206 per year of life gained. When further considering the ripple effect that saving a mother has on child survival and the household economy, the value of SMGL increases. Ministries of health and donor agencies have already demonstrated a willingness to pay this amount per year of life for other programs, such as HIV and AIDS. As SMGL scaled up in both Uganda and Zambia, the intentional integration of SMGL interventions into host country systems, alignment with other large-scale programs, and planned reductions in annual SMGL funding all contributed to increasing host government ownership of the interventions and set the SMGL approach on a path more likely to be sustained following the close of the initiative. Lessons from the learning districts resulted in increased efficiency in allocation of resources for maternal and newborn health, better use of strategic information, improved management capacities, and increased community engagement.

3007 Addressing Community Health Needs through Community Engagement Research Advisory Boards

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Over 80% of CTSA programs have a community advisory board (CAB), an effective strategy to increase community engagement (CE) in research. Little is known about how the research discussed with CABs aligns with community priorities (i.e., bi-directionality). This program evaluation assessed the health topics presented by researchers to the CABs linked to our CE Program at all three Mayo Clinic sites (MN, AZ, and FL) for relevance to local community needs. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Two coders classified Mayo researcher presentations to our CABs from 2014-2018 for relevance to needs identified in the local 2013 and/or 2016 County Health Needs Assessments and specific topic(s); with high levels of agreement (Kappa=0.90). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Overall, of the 65 presentations 41 (63%) addressed one or more local health needs (47% MN, 60% FL, 80% AZ). Cross-cutting health topics addressed at 2 sites were physical activity/obesity/nutrition and mental health. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Findings were shared with our CABs to obtain input on future directions. The FL and AZ CABs are systematic in seeking out or initiating research projects that address local health needs, an approach the MN site is interested in adopting. Ultimately, it is important to demonstrate improved health outcomes with CTSA-based CE research strategies. Understanding community health needs and depth of researchers in those areas may help to focus priorities for demonstrating such outcomes.

Connecting Community to Research: A Training Program to Increase Community Engagement in Research.

The Boston University Clinical & Translational Science Institute (BU CTSI) identified a local need to increase the capacity of members of a diverse inner-city community with no prior knowledge of research to partner with researchers along the research continuum. To design, implement, and evaluate an introductory- level capacity-building training using community pedagogy and providing information about current research and opportunities to partner with local researchers. Guided by two advisory boards of community-engaged professionals and patients, the community engagement team of the BU CTSI designed, implemented, and evaluated the Connecting Community to Research (CCR) training program. We targeted existing community groups in Boston interested in partnering with an academic institution to advance the health of their community. Interactive trainings focused on principles of community-engaged research (CEnR), and how individual experiences might influence research. Each session offered real-time opportunities for participants to engage with local researchers on existing research such as joining a local research advisory group or institutional review board. Self-administered surveys captured participant experiences. Over 1 year, we trained 100 community members and almost all participants felt that the objectives of the training program were met and the information was relevant. More than 50% of the participants took advantage of partnership opportunities with local researchers. A toolkit was designed and disseminated to support others to replicate the program. We demonstrated that an interactive training curriculum designed with a community-engaged pedagogy and supported by opportunities for engagement has the ability to successfully partner community members with academic researchers.

Fostering youth leader credibility: Professional, organizational, and community impacts associated with completion of an online master's degree in youth development leadership

Youth development leaders (YDLs) take diverse pathways to obtain the knowledge and skills needed for youthwork, from progression through organizational positions with no formal educational training in the field to obtaining advanced degrees focusing on specialized knowledge. Youth development degrees at the higher education level improve outcomes for YDLs as well as the youth they serve. When YDLs gain knowledge and skills rooted in youth development theory and practice, they are better able to offer high-quality programs and more likely to advance in their careers. This study identifies the perceived individual, organizational, and community level impacts on graduates of an online master's degree in Youth Development Leadership. The study found that graduates perceived their degrees were related to positive outcomes in professionalism (increased knowledge and application of youth development theory, heightened self-confidence and credibility in professional abilities, improvement of professional skills, career advancement, and recognition); improved organizational practices (with respect to training, staff management, and program quality); and increased community engagement (increased availability of programs and community collaboration). The online master's degree in Youth Development Leadership provided an opportunity for youth workers to build credibility on multiple levels by connecting theory to practice.

Location, seasonal, and functional characteristics of water holding containers with juvenile and pupal Aedes aegypti in Southern Taiwan: A cross-sectional study using hurdle model analyses.

BackgroundAedes aegypti carries several viruses of public health importance, including the dengue virus. Dengue is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. Prevention and control of dengue mainly rely on mosquito control as there is no antiviral treatment or a WHO-approved vaccine. To reduce the Ae. aegypti population, studying the characteristics of their habitats is necessary. Aedes aegypti prefer breeding in artificial water holding containers in peridomestic or domestic settings. Their juveniles (1st - 4th instar larvae and pupae) have a tendency to cluster in certain types of containers. To inform control strategies, it is important to assess whether the pupae subgroup has a distinct distribution by container type as compared to the overall group of juveniles. The objective of this study was to assess for distinct predictors (location, season, and function) of Ae. aegypti juveniles and pupae numbers in water holding containers by applying hurdle model analyses.MethodologyThe field component of this study was carried out from November 2013 to July 2015 in Southern Taiwan where annual autochthonous dengue has been reported for decades. Water holding containers with stagnant water were identified in a predefined urban area in Kaohsiung City (KH) and a rural area in Pingtung County. Given that mosquito survey data often include many containers with zero Ae. aegypti, a negative binomial hurdle model was applied to model the association between location, seasonal and functional characteristics of the water holding containers and the number of Ae. aegypti in each container.ResultsThe results showed that Ae. aegypti were almost exclusively present in the urban area. In this area, the negative binomial hurdle model predicted significantly more juveniles as well as pupae Ae. aegypti in water holding containers during the wet season when compared to the dry season. Notably, the model predicted more juveniles in containers located on private property compared to those on government property, irrespective of season. As for pupae, the model predicted higher amounts in indoor containers used for water storage compared to outdoor water storage containers, irrespective of season. However, for the specific category ‘other water receptacle’, higher amounts of pupae were predicted in outdoor compared to indoor in water receptacles, such as flower pot saucers and water catchment buckets.ConclusionsThe difference in predictors for juveniles and the pupae subgroup was identified and it may be of importance to the control strategies of the authorities in KH. At present the authorities focus control activities on all water holding containers found on government property. To improve the ongoing control efforts in KH, the focus of control activities maintained by the KH authorities should be expanded to indoor water storage containers and outdoor water receptacles on both private and government properties to adequately address habitats harboring greater numbers of pupae. In addition, it is proposed to increase community engagement in managing water in all types of water holding containers located on privately owned properties (indoor and outdoor), especially during wet season.

Exploring the Phenomenon of Zero Waste and Future Cities

The evolving phenomenon of zero waste encompasses the theory, practice, and learning of individuals, families, businesses, communities, and government organisations, responding to perceptions of crisis and failure around conventional waste management. The diverse and growing body of international zero waste experience, can be portrayed as both, an entirely new and alternative waste management paradigm, and or, interpreted as overlapping, extending, and synergetic with a general evolution towards more sustainable waste/resource management practices. Combining the terms zero and waste provokes creative, intellectual, and pragmatic tensions, which provide a contemporary axis for necessary debate and innovation in this sphere of resource management. This commentary draws on an interdisciplinary perspective and utilises some elements of the critique of zero waste, as a lens to examine and better understand this heterogeneous global community of practice. In particular, how the concept and implementation of a zero waste goal can increase community engagement and be a catalyst for the design and management of a more circular urban metabolism and hence, more adaptive, resilient, and sustainable future (zero waste) cities.

Revealing complex social-ecological interactions through participatory modeling to support ecosystem-based management in Hawai‘i

The Hawaiian Islands are home to a complex and dynamic marine ecosystem that serves as a backbone to the state's economy and society's well-being. The marine ecosystem currently faces numerous threats that undermine ecosystem integrity and compromise socially valuable ecosystem services. The socio-economic and ecological complexity of the region invokes a clear need for ecosystem-based management (EBM) strategies. To support EBM development, participatory methods were used to gather expert and place-based knowledge from resource managers, scientists, and community members. Methods elicited local values, fostered diverse relationships, and increased community engagement in resource management. Using information collected, Conceptual ecosystemmodels were developed guided by the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework that identify and quantify the strength of socio-economic and ecological interactions. The resulting models illustrate the complexity of system dynamics, highlighting connectivity between pressures and the ecosystem, with direct implications for ecosystem services. Importantly, many identified pressures occur at the local scale, presenting an opportunity for local resource management to directly affect ecosystem status. This study also found that many of the strongly impacted ecosystem services were cultural ecosystem services, which are critical to human well-being but lack integration into resource management. These models support an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment of the region by informing ecosystem-based strategies, facilitating the selection of ecosystem monitoring indicators, and emphasizing human dimensions.

Quantifying Sucralose in a Water-Treatment Wetlands: Service-Learning in the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

Service-learning (SL) is an active learning approach that connects the knowledge a student acquires in the classroom to an application that benefits the community. Increasingly popular in the chemistry curriculum, service-learning is reported to provide student benefits including improved cognitive goals; increased academic, interpersonal, and leadership skills; increased ability to apply course concepts to real-world situations; and increased community engagement. For the work reported here, an analytical chemistry laboratory was modified to include a service-learning component with the goal of allowing students to apply their newly acquired analytical skills to relevant, real-world samples; to learn new analytical techniques; and to develop professional communication skills. Students implemented a study of the wastewater effluent at the Orlando Easterly Wetlands, an engineered water polishing facility that removes nutrients from treated wastewater. Students designed a sampling strategy, collected sample...

Boost community engagement to gain buy‐in for initiatives

When officials at Villanova University decided to transition the public safety division to a sworn police force, the decision was met with many questions and significant concern from community members. The decision propelled the unit to increase community engagement, “some pleasant, some not so pleasant,” said David Tedjeske, director of public safety and chief of police.

Lessons learnt from the introduction of the contraceptive implant in South Africa

In 2014, South Africa (SA) introduced the subdermal contraceptive implant with the aim of expanding the contraceptive method mix and availability of long-acting reversible methods in the public sector. Three years on, concerns have been raised about the decline in uptake, early implant removals and challenges in service delivery. This article explores the lessons learnt from the introduction of contraceptive technologies elsewhere and applies these to the SA context. Drawing on the World Health Organization’s conceptual framework for the introduction of new contraceptive methods, and subsequent literature on the topic, lessons are classified into six cross-cutting themes. Recommendations highlight the need for SA to review and explore strategies to strengthen current implant services, including the provision of improved provider training aimed at sensitive, client-centred approaches; increased community engagement; and improved systems for programmatic monitoring and evaluation. With implementation of these recommendations, worrying trends in the provision of implants could be reversed.

An Interactive Planning Support Tool for Addressing Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Projects in The Netherlands

The implementation of renewable energy policies is lagging behind in The Netherlands. While several Dutch cities have ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the implementation of renewable energy projects has been rather slow. The main reasons for this are the limited institutional capacities of local decision-makers, low levels of social acceptance of renewable-energy technologies, and limited opportunities for engagement of communities in decision-making processes. In order to address these issues we have developed an interactive planning support tool named COLLAGE for stakeholder participation in local renewable-energy planning. The goal of this paper is to analyze whether the COLLAGE tool helps to increase community engagement in renewable-energy projects and planning by increasing awareness and addressing social learning issues related to renewable-energy options. We tested the tool in a series of workshops with stakeholders and citizens from the city of Enschede, The Netherlands. The workshop results show that the tool helped involve stakeholders and communities in deciding where to locate renewable-energy facilities. It increased community members’ awareness of the benefits of and requirements for renewable energy by disclosing the spatial consequences of overall municipal goals. We conclude that the COLLAGE tool can be an important building block towards new local energy governance.

Abstract P006: A Comparative Case Study of the American Heart Association ANCHOR Partnerships Program

Purpose: In 2014, the American Heart Association (AHA) started a new initiative called the Accelerating National Community Health Outcomes through Reinforcing (ANCHOR) Partnerships Program. The ANCHOR Program works to improve cardiovascular health using population-based strategies targeting policy, systems and environmental (PSE) level changes. From March 2015-April 2016, the ANCHOR program supported 15 markets within AHA Affiliates as they implemented community-based interventions using PSE strategies to increase access to healthy food and beverages, physical activity, and smoke-free environments. This community-based approach is relatively new for the organization therefore, a comparative case study was conducted to understanding how the ANCHOR Program worked within the AHA and its Affiliates, as well as what community-based strategies were most successful. Methods: Using a systematic selection procedure that assessed level of readiness, the 15 sites were categorized as either “implementation ready (IR)” or “capacity building (CB)”. After stratifying the sites by intervention focus three markets from each category (n=6) were selected as the units of analysis. Evaluators conducted site visits in each market from February-April 2016. During site visits, a total of 24 interviews were conducted with Affiliate staff, program managers, implementation partners, and community partners. Each interview assessed expected outcomes, planning processes, community support, and success. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and synthesized using a thematic analysis. Results: Significant differences were found in expected outcomes. IR sites wanted to increase community engagement, while CB focused on policy change. Both sites were supported by their Affiliates and partners. Action plans were developed by program managers with Affiliate input, and were used to plan in both sites. IR sites identified barriers at the beginning of planning, while CB sites made revisions frequently as barriers were encountered. Both sites engaged partners in planning. Program managers at IR sites worked closely with partners on implementation, whereas those at CB sites led implementation and partners provided support and connections. Differences were also found in how sites engaged partners. CB sites built broad community engagement and IR sites focused on implementation partner buy-in. Overall, the IR sites felt most successful, while CB sites laid groundwork but were not able to create tangible outcomes. Discussion: This comparative case study provides important information about how the AHA can embed community-based work within their ongoing efforts using existing Affiliate structures. The multiple viewpoints captured provides insight into implementation processes and how this type of work is best accomplished, as well as how level of readiness can impact progress.

Outbreak Investigation of Plasmodium vivax Malaria in a Region of Guatemala Targeted for Malaria Elimination

AbstractThe Department of Santa Rosa, Guatemala, is targeted for malaria elimination. However, compared with 2011, a 13-fold increase in cases was reported in 2012. To describe the epidemiology of malaria in Santa Rosa in the setting of the apparent outbreak, demographic and microscopic data from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed. In April 2012, a new surveillance strategy, funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, was introduced involving more active case detection, centralized microscopy, increased community engagement, and expanded vector control. Interviews with vector control personnel and site visits were conducted in June 2013. From 2008 to 2013, 337 cases of malaria were reported. The increase in cases occurred largely after the new surveillance strategy was implemented. Most (137/165; 83%) 2012 cases came from one town near a lake. Plasmodium vivax was the malaria species detected in all cases. Cases were detected where malaria was not previously reported. Monthly rainfall or/and temperature did not correlate with cases. Interviews with public health personnel suggested that the new funding, staffing, and strategy were responsible for improved quality of malaria detection and control and thus the increase in reported cases. Improvements in surveillance, case detection, and funding appear responsible for the temporary increase in cases, which thus may paradoxically indicate progress toward elimination.

Comparing the effectiveness of a crowdsourced video and a social marketing video in promoting condom use among Chinese men who have sex with men: a study protocol

IntroductionCrowdsourcing has been used to spur innovation and increase community engagement in public health programmes. Crowdsourcing is the process of giving individual tasks to a large group, often involving open...

Countdown to 2015 country case studies: what have we learned about processes and progress towards MDGs 4 and 5?

BackgroundCountdown to 2015 was a multi-institution consortium tracking progress towards Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. Case studies to explore factors contributing to progress (or lack of progress) in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) were undertaken in: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Pakistan, Peru, and Tanzania. This paper aims to identify cross-cutting themes on how and why these countries achieved or did not achieve MDG progress.MethodsApplying a standard evaluation framework, analyses of impact, coverage and equity were undertaken, including a mixed methods analysis of how these were influenced by national context and coverage determinants (including health systems, policies and financing).ResultsThe majority (7/10) of case study countries met MDG-4 with over two-thirds reduction in child mortality, but none met MDG-5a for 75 % reduction in maternal mortality, although six countries achieved >75 % of this target. None achieved MDG-5b regarding reproductive health. Rates of reduction in neonatal mortality were half or less that for post-neonatal child mortality. Coverage increased most for interventions administered at lower levels of the health system (e.g., immunisation, insecticide treated nets), and these experienced substantial political and financial support. These interventions were associated with ~30–40 % of child lives saved in 2012 compared to 2000, in Ethiopia, Malawi, Peru and Tanzania. Intrapartum care for mothers and newborns -- which require higher-level health workers, more infrastructure, and increased community engagement -- showed variable increases in coverage, and persistent equity gaps. Countries have explored different approaches to address these problems, including shifting interventions to the community setting and tasks to lower-level health workers.ConclusionsThese Countdown case studies underline the importance of consistent national investment and global attention for achieving improvements in RMNCH. Interventions with major global investments achieved higher levels of coverage, reduced equity gaps and improvements in associated health outcomes. Given many competing priorities for the Sustainable Development Goals era, it is essential to maintain attention to the unfinished RMNCH agenda, particularly health systems improvements for maternal and neonatal outcomes where progress has been slower, and to invest in data collection for monitoring progress and for rigorous analyses of how progress is achieved in different contexts.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3401-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The role of personalization, engagement, and trust in online communities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether brand community characteristics (perceived personalization and familiarity among members) affect brand community engagement through customer-to-customer (C2C) interaction. Design/methodology/approach – A survey questionnaire was distributed to members of online brand communities to test the research hypotheses. Findings – The findings showed that the relationships among the brand community constructs are significant. C2C interaction mediates the relations between the characteristic variables and brand community engagement. Furthermore, the findings revealed that brand community trust moderates the effects of perceived personalization on the quality of C2C interaction and on brand community engagement. It also moderates the relations between perceived familiarity among community members and each of brand community engagement and the quality of C2C interaction. Practical implications – Marketers should utilize a brand community’s C2C interaction for its marketing strategies. Moreover, managing brand communities by focussing on perceived personalized service and the familiarity of members can also ultimately increase community engagement by enhancing the quality of C2C communication. Originality/value – This study argues that firms need to manage online brand communities intuitively in order to increase members’ community engagement. To do so, they need to allocate spaces in which C2C communication can actively occur within brand communities, for example, in a discussion forum.