Key Community Research Articles

Community based participatory research as a promising practice for addressing vaccine hesitancy, rebuilding trust and addressing health disparities among racial and ethnic minority communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority communities across the United States (U.S.). Despite the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 faced by communities of color, Black and Hispanic communities are less likely to be fully vaccinated than White non-Hispanic Persons. Health inequity and vaccine hesitancy are complex phenomena that require multilevel responses tailored to the unique needs of each community, a process that inherently necessitates a high level of community engagement in order to develop the most effective health interventions. Building on the principles of community based participatory research (CBPR) and with the support of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Project 2VIDA! was born. A multidisciplinary collaborative of academic researchers, community members, and clinicians whose aim is to foster sustainable partnerships to reduce the burden of COVID-19 in Hispanic and Black communities across Southern California. Our model was designed to meet our community members where they were - whether on their lunch break or picking their children from school. This CBPR model has been well received by community members. Future health interventions focused on reducing health disparities should prioritize the role of the community, leverage the voices of key community partners, and be grounded in equitable power sharing.

The Contemporary Transmission Methods and Education of Chinese Jinghe Opera to Address Current Challenges in Hubei Province

The objective of this qualitative research study is to analyze the contemporary transmission methods and educational approaches employed in preserving and revitalizing Chinese Jinghe opera to address current challenges in Hubei Province. The research site, Jingzhou City in Hubei Province, serves as the backdrop for exploring this multifaceted cultural heritage. Nine key informants, including scholars, practitioners, and community members, provide diverse perspectives on Jinghe Opera and its transmission. Semi-structured interviews serve as the basis for data collection, and thematic analysis follows to reveal recurring themes and patterns. The study reveals the historical significance of Jinghe Opera, its evolution, and the critical roles of supporting institutions, such as the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center and Yangtze University. Challenges facing Jinghe Opera, such as a shortage of original works and an aging transmission workforce, are discussed. Proposed solutions include fostering creativity, modernizing education, and establishing institutional support. This research contributes to the broader discourse on cultural heritage preservation and demonstrates the resilience of traditional art forms in a changing cultural landscape.

Nitrogen Application and Rhizosphere Effect Exert Opposite Effects on Key Straw-Decomposing Microorganisms in Straw-Amended Soil.

Crop residue decomposition is an important part of the carbon cycle in agricultural ecosystems, and microorganisms are widely recognized as key drivers during this process. However, we still know little about how nitrogen (N) input and rhizosphere effects from the next planting season impact key straw-decomposing microbial communities. Here, we combined amplicon sequencing and DNA-Stable Isotope Probing (DNA-SIP) to explore these effects through a time-series wheat pot experiment with four treatments: 13C-labeled maize straw addition with or without N application (S1N1 and S1N0), and no straw addition with or without N application (S0N1 and S0N0). The results showed that straw addition significantly reduced soil microbial alpha diversity in the early stages. Straw addition changed microbial beta diversity and increased absolute abundance in all stages. Growing plants in straw-amended soil further reduced bacterial alpha diversity, weakened straw-induced changes in beta diversity, and reduced bacterial and fungal absolute abundance in later stages. In contrast, N application could only increase the absolute abundance of soil bacteria and fungi while having little effect on alpha and beta diversity. The SIP-based taxonomic analysis of key straw-decomposing bacteria further indicated that the dominant phyla were Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, with overrepresented genera belonging to Vicinamibacteraceae and Streptomyces. Key straw-decomposing fungi were dominated by Ascomycota, with overrepresented genera belonging to Penicillium and Aspergillus. N application significantly increased the absolute abundance of key straw-decomposing microorganisms; however, this increase was reduced by the rhizosphere effect. Overall, our study identified key straw-decomposing microorganisms in straw-amended soil and demonstrated that they exhibited opposite responses to N application and the rhizosphere effect.

Shrinkage and desiccation: evaluating the streambed bacterial responses to intermittent water deficit

Hydrological drought, characterized by a significant deficiency in rainfall events, promotes natural desiccation processes. The reduction in water recharge and the loss of freshwater ecosystems pose urgent challenges in the face of increasing global population and the escalating demand for water resources. The variability in the duration of no-flow periods can have profound implications for ecosystem functioning, specifically impacting the microbiota residing in streambed sediments and the vital processes they perform. The streambed serves as an ecotone where microorganisms form biofilms, playing critical roles in in-stream biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, prolonged desiccation periods and subsequent rewetting episodes can disrupt, limit, or alter the functions and structure of microbial communities, thereby compromising the overall functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Understanding how streambed microbial communities respond to prolonged desiccation events is crucial. This revision manuscript provides a synthesis of recent empirical and experimental studies that have explored various aspects of streambed microbial communities in the context of diverse drying-rewetting periods. A special focus is placed on highlighting key microbial community structural and functional responses that could be used as endpoints of responses to desiccation. In particular, we showed the greater expression of the phenol-oxidase activity among the intermittent streambeds submitted to long-term drought. This result suggested a potential begin of transition from freshwater to terrestrial systems. Additionally, we observed a tendency of decreasing bacterial diversity in the dry conditions together with a change in the relative abundance of certain microbial taxa and a general shift from Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria. All of these evidences strengthened the similarity between the dry streambed systems studied and a (dry)-soil environment, suggesting that prolonged and unusual dry periods could boost the terrestrial transition of the aquatic intermittent ecosystem. By summarizing these findings, we aim to enhance our understanding of the responses exhibited by streambed microbiota in the face of desiccation events. The synthesized results may further provide potential diagnosis and/or management tools for intermittent freshwater ecosystems functioning.

Community perceptions and attitudes toward serious mental illness in Cambodia

BackgroundWorldwide, approximately 64 million people are living with serious mental illnesses (SMI), such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Because community perceptions and attitudes can impact help-seeking and the course of illness, understanding and incorporating these perspectives, and addressing misconceptions and harmful attitudes, is a critical component of comprehensive mental health support. These concepts are deeply rooted in local culture and belief systems, yet research to provide local understanding is often lacking, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess relative caregivers' and other key community members’ perceptions and attitudes towards people with SMI in Cambodia. MethodsA brief survey that included open-ended assessment of mental health knowledge and beliefs was interviewer-administered to 115 relative caregivers of people with SMI. Additionally, 20 community members considered knowledgeable about mental health (e.g., traditional healers, local authorities, family caregivers) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews that explored perceptions and attitudes toward SMI in Cambodia. ResultsParticipants included 56 men and 79 women. While respondents were able to identify signs and symptoms of SMI, the most commonly perceived causes were spiritual (e.g., spells, ghosts); family crisis (e.g., domestic violence); and physical health problems. Both respondent groups showed empathy for people with SMI (e.g., pity) but also reported feelings of fear and shame (e.g., perceived tendency toward violence and not wanting to live with such a person). ConclusionBoth caregivers likely to seek help and respected local figures likely to be involved in initial help-seeking efforts demonstrated limited understanding of SMI as a medical disorder suitable for management within the formal healthcare system. Commonly reported misperceptions are likely to lead to delayed access to care and poorer treatment within the community. Strengthening mental health knowledge among caregivers and key community leaders may hold promise for improving peer support and community referral pathways.

Haiti resurging epidemics: Its potential to transition to endemic status

The island nation of Haiti had been Cholera free for over a century prior to the 2010 earthquake which left over 1 million inhabitants homeless, when a key community water source became inadvertently contaminated with the causative organism, V. cholerae (El Toro strain 01) soon after the earthquake. The infectious organism was apparently transmitted via well intentioned Nepalese aid workers visiting the Island. During the 2010-2018 outbreak, over 819,000 people were treated for cholera, resulting in nearly 10,000 deaths. With assistance from the CDC, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and implementing partners including the Pan American Health Organization to further expand epidemiologic and public health initiatives, Haiti was once again declared cholera free in February 2022, having no new cases for over 3 years; however, by Sept 2022 new cases were once again reported, ultimately affecting over 20,000 additional mostly Haitian residents, geographically centered around the Port au Prince area, and in 285 additional deaths from the second wave of the Cholera epidemic. This was followed by over 1150 additional deaths by mid-December 2023 and the designation as a Grade 3 Emergency Hazard Status by the WHO. Because of the high potential for asymptomatic carriers of cholera to develop following a widespread epidemic, additional public health strategies must be vigorously employed including widespread immunization to control and minimize the continued impact of the endemic on community, regional and global wellbeing and hopefully prevent the next epidemic from occurring in Haiti or from spreading to surrounding islands and distant jurisdictions.

Addressing Wicked Problems (SDGs) Through Community Colleges: Leveraging Entrepreneurial Leadership for Economic Development Post-COVID

AbstractThis qualitative case study aims to explore community colleges’ role in addressing wicked problems of economic development post-COVID through entrepreneurial leadership. The key research question is, “How do entrepreneurial leaders describe the role of community colleges in addressing wicked problems of economic development post-COVID.” The study interviewed 28 entrepreneurial leaders regarding the role(s) of community colleges in addressing wicked problems of economic development. The study addresses a critical gap in the literature. Researchers have yet to explore the role of associate degree-granting institutions, namely community colleges. Notably, the over 1200 U.S. community colleges serve nearly 12 million or half of America’s students (American Association of Community Colleges, 2011). From a theoretical perspective, the study leverages complexity science, complex adaptive systems, and systemic innovation to address wicked problems of economic development. Future researchers can build on these theoretical insights for future studies across many disciplines.The results provide ten key roles community colleges can potentially take on as economic development partners, making them ideal institutions to serve as incubators of post-COVID recovery. They include revitalizing communities post-COVID, performing post-COVID business triage, modeling sustainability, creating jobs, championing entrepreneurship-led economic development, increasing tax revenue, pipelining talent, supporting talent retention, supporting main street businesses, and reducing entrepreneurial risks. Researchers recommend that policymakers and other funders allocate funding to help community colleges address wicked problems through systemic innovation labs (I-Labs). Interestingly, the roles identified appear to be moderated by proximity and trust.

A Co-Created Tool to Help Counter Health Misinformation for Spanish-Speaking Communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Health misinformation, which was particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, hampers public health initiatives. Spanish-speaking communities in the San Francisco Bay Area may be especially affected due to low digital health literacy and skepticism towards science and healthcare experts. Our study aims to develop a checklist to counter misinformation, grounded in community insights. We adopted a multistage approach to understanding barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Spanish-speaking populations in Alameda and San Francisco counties. Initial work included key informant and community interviews. Partnering with a community-based organization (CBO), we organized co-design workshops in July 2022 to develop a practical tool for identifying misinformation. Template analysis identified key themes for actionable steps, such as source evaluation and content assessment. From this, we developed a Spanish-language checklist. During formative interviews, misinformation was identified as a major obstacle to vaccine uptake. Three co-design workshops with 15 Spanish-speaking women resulted in a 10-step checklist for tackling health misinformation. Participants highlighted the need for scrutinizing sources and assessing messenger credibility, and cues in visual content that could instill fear. The checklist offers a pragmatic approach to source verification and information assessment, supplemented by resources from local CBOs. We have co-created a targeted checklist for Spanish-speaking communities to identify and counter health misinformation. Such specialized tools are essential for populations that are more susceptible to misinformation, enabling them to differentiate between credible and non-credible information.

Grappling with governance: Emerging approaches to build community economies

Economic development is evolving, where building the economy was once the largely purview of businesses and governments, increasingly, communities are taking action to build local economies that are more sustainable, equitable and inclusive. As community participation in local economic development increases, new, more collaborative governance models are beginning to emerge. This research leverages a community economies framework to explore the role of non-traditional, community actors in advancing local economic development. Building on the local, rural, and asset-based community development scholarship, this study aims to fill the gap in the literature through an empirical investigation into how one rural community, in Prince Edward County, Ontario, is developing a new governance structure to build a community-led economic development plan. Data for this research was collected through focus groups, key informant interviews and community conversations. Results highlight that when building the local economy, especially in rural communities, it is important to take an assets-first approach; leverage cross-sector partnerships; and experiment with innovative models to drive economic development. This research also illustrates the complexity of developing an alternative governance structure and offers perspectives on navigating the changing field of local economic development.

Implementing a Community Engagement Model to Develop a Community-Driven Oral Health Intervention

Abstract: Background: Using community-engaged research may result in interventions that reduce infant oral health disparities in underserved populations. Objective: Develop community partnerships to create a sustainable infant oral health program that meets specific community-identified needs and provides an interprofessional education experience. Methods: Partnering with the Homewood Community Engagement Center, researchers engaged and surveyed key community partners to assess the need for an infant oral health invention. Lessons Learned: Community-identified organizing principles and barriers became the framework for, "Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me," a community-driven infant oral health program. Barriers, like access to care, were addressed with community-specific solutions like agreements with local dental clinical for referrals. Conclusions: Community partnerships can be leveraged to develop oral health programs that fit specific community needs and provide resources to families at greatest risk for child dental caries. Community engagement can be used to modify the intervention to meet oral health needs of other vulnerable communities.

Perceptions of volunteers on the effectiveness of Kenya Medical Training College-run free medical camps in enhancing access to healthcare by vulnerable communities

In certain regions of Kenya, such as Nyahururu, Kabarnet, Kasikeu, and Mbooni, inadequate access to healthcare services contributes to avoidable deaths. Organizations like the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) address this challenge by organizing free medical camps, involving both local and international volunteer healthcare workers. This study explored the effectiveness of KMTC's free medical camps through interviews with 18 key informants, including faculty, non-faculty members, and community leaders from purposefully sampled hardship areas, namely, Nyahururu, Kabarnet, Kasikeu, and Mbooni. The study found that KMTC's free clinics offered crucial services like curative care, immunization, maternal and child health services, disease sensitization, reproductive health services, and substance abuse education. However, limitations were identified, including a shortage of medications, lack of specialized screening, follow-up care, and referral services. Resources available included community health volunteers, KMTC and hospital staff, socio-structural support, and physical infrastructure. Challenges faced by volunteers included motivation issues, inadequate facilitation, limited stakeholder involvement in planning, and perceived service comprehensiveness issues. Despite these challenges, the community acknowledged the vital role of medical camps in delivering essential services to marginalized groups. Addressing resource shortages, enhancing stakeholder engagement, improving service comprehensiveness, and boosting volunteer motivation were highlighted as crucial steps to maximize community benefits.

"It's no use saying it in English": A qualitative study exploring community leaders' perceptions of the challenges and opportunities with translating and interpreting COVID-19 related public health messaging to reach ethnic minorities in Australia.

The Australian Government implemented a range of public health response strategies and communication approaches to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, concerns have been raised around a failure to sufficiently consider culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities in these processes. This research aimed to understand the factors that have impacted COVID-19 communication and engagement efforts during the pandemic from the perspective of key CaLD community and faith-based leaders. A further aim was to understand the processes that could be adopted to support future communication strategies, including promoting pandemic-related vaccines. This study included 29 key informant interviews with community and faith-based leaders in New South Wales, Australia. The overwhelming message from community leaders was a sense of shared responsibility between their organisations and governments in communicating pertinent and accurate COVID-19 related information to CaLD communities. They expressed a sense of duty to keep their community members safe. However, community leaders and others shouldered significant costs related to resources and time that need to be acknowledged by governments in preparing for future disease outbreaks. They felt that governments should consider: 1) improving communication between governments and CaLD organisations; 2) responding to the specific CaLD needs with greater agility; 3) foregrounding social media in their communication strategy; 4) reinvesting in local public health units to know their population; 5) developing a health ambassadors model program; 6) preparing a hybrid model of translators/interpreters to fill the gap; and, 7) reimagining vaccine information campaigns to target CaLD communities better. Given the technical details about the COVID-19 virus conveyed in government information campaigns and the media, ensuring the most vulnerable populations, including people from CaLD backgrounds, access clear, concise and timely public health messaging from governments and community organisations requires further attention.

“I want to see them thrive!”: exploring health service research priorities for young Aboriginal children growing up in Alice Springs – a qualitative study

To better understand the specific influences of early life on the long-term health and well-being of local Aboriginal children in Alice Springs, high-quality local longitudinal data is required. The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute are exploring the feasibility of establishing a cohort study to fill this gap. A nested qualitative study was conducted to identify priority issues that can be translated into research questions answerable through the proposed cohort study. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with a range of key community stakeholders, parents and caregivers of young Aboriginal children from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory between 2020 and 2021. Two Aboriginal and two non-Aboriginal researchers conducted 27 interviews and 3 FGDs with 42 participants. Three broad themes were constructed through reflexive thematic analysis representing the areas of focus community stakeholders and parents want future research to prioritise: (1) social determinants of health (2) building positive connections, and (3) making sure kids grow up strong and healthy. Priority setting for future research should be driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in order to be of practical benefit to their community. This qualitative study found that housing, transport and positive connections through nurturing and engaged parents were some of the most important issues raised. Participants also wanted future research to focus on issues specific to children such as nutrition, hearing loss, language development and capacity to learn. These findings will guide future work led by local Aboriginal researchers to co-design the proposed cohort study.

Empowering local communities engagement: Rural tourism and business innovation for SDGs desa

Purpose: This study investigates the role of social entrepreneurship and business innovation in empowering local communities for rural tourism development within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Research methodology: A comprehensive review of the existing literature on social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development is conducted. The study also involved qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and community members in the selected villages, followed by thematic analysis of the data. Results: The findings reveal that Social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in fostering community engagement, promoting social inclusivity, and creating sustainable tourism initiatives. On the other hand, business innovation enables local communities to differentiate themselves, enhance visitor experiences, and improve the overall competitiveness of rural tourism destinations. Limitations: This study acknowledges certain limitations, including the selection of a limited number of case study villages and potential bias in qualitative interviews. Further research is needed to explore the generalizability of the findings across different contexts. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the synergistic relationship among social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development. These findings provide insights for policymakers, community leaders, and practitioners in designing effective strategies to empower local communities and promote sustainable tourism within the SDGs Desa framework. Novelty: The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the combined influence of social entrepreneurship and business innovation on rural tourism development in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs Desa). This highlights the potential of these concepts to drive positive change and create inclusive and resilient rural tourism destinations.

Empowering local communities engagement: Rural tourism and business innovation for SDGs desa

Purpose: This study investigates the role of social entrepreneurship and business innovation in empowering local communities for rural tourism development within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Research methodology: A comprehensive review of the existing literature on social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development is conducted. The study also involved qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and community members in the selected villages, followed by thematic analysis of the data. Results: The findings reveal that Social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in fostering community engagement, promoting social inclusivity, and creating sustainable tourism initiatives. On the other hand, business innovation enables local communities to differentiate themselves, enhance visitor experiences, and improve the overall competitiveness of rural tourism destinations. Limitations: This study acknowledges certain limitations, including the selection of a limited number of case study villages and potential bias in qualitative interviews. Further research is needed to explore the generalizability of the findings across different contexts. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the synergistic relationship among social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development. These findings provide insights for policymakers, community leaders, and practitioners in designing effective strategies to empower local communities and promote sustainable tourism within the SDGs Desa framework. Novelty: The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the combined influence of social entrepreneurship and business innovation on rural tourism development in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs Desa). This highlights the potential of these concepts to drive positive change and create inclusive and resilient rural tourism destinations.

Empowering local communities engagement: Rural tourism and business innovation for SDGs desa

Purpose: This study investigates the role of social entrepreneurship and business innovation in empowering local communities for rural tourism development within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Research methodology: A comprehensive review of the existing literature on social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development is conducted. The study also involved qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and community members in the selected villages, followed by thematic analysis of the data. Results: The findings reveal that Social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in fostering community engagement, promoting social inclusivity, and creating sustainable tourism initiatives. On the other hand, business innovation enables local communities to differentiate themselves, enhance visitor experiences, and improve the overall competitiveness of rural tourism destinations. Limitations: This study acknowledges certain limitations, including the selection of a limited number of case study villages and potential bias in qualitative interviews. Further research is needed to explore the generalizability of the findings across different contexts. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the synergistic relationship among social entrepreneurship, business innovation, and rural tourism development. These findings provide insights for policymakers, community leaders, and practitioners in designing effective strategies to empower local communities and promote sustainable tourism within the SDGs Desa framework. Novelty: The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the combined influence of social entrepreneurship and business innovation on rural tourism development in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs Desa). This highlights the potential of these concepts to drive positive change and create inclusive and resilient rural tourism destinations.

From causality to blame: exploring flooding, factories and land conversion in Eastern Thailand

ABSTRACT It has become common to attribute the growing frequency and severity of floods to climate change. But the factors behind flooding are many, and climate change often disappears from the equation at the local level. This study draws on interviews with key informants and community members and focus group discussions to explore the increasing incidence of flooding in two sub-districts in Eastern Thailand. To our surprise, there was little sense of community anger: flood risk had increased; the causes rooted in maladaptation linked to land conversion were recognised and uncontested; and injustice was palpable. But anger and resistance were muted. The paper seeks to make sense of this situation. Villagers accepted their complicity in creating the conditions for heightened flood risk through their willingness to sell their land for conversion. The disconnection between the identification of causality and the allocation of blame raises questions about how notions of environmental justice play out in places like Ban Thapma and Ban Nhonglalok, where justice and injustice do not fall equally across space and society.

The HI V O pen Call on I nformed C onsent and E thics in Research (VOICE) for Adolescents and Young Adults: A Digital Crowdsourcing Open Call in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Many adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 10-24 years old) are excluded from HIV research because of social, ethical, and legal challenges with informed consent, resulting in limited AYA-focused data. We use a participatory approach to identify strategies for improving AYA consent processes in HIV research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a digital crowdsourcing open call for ideas to improve AYA consent to HIV research in LMICs. Crowdsourcing involves engaging a group of people in problem-solving, then sharing emergent solutions. Submissions were evaluated by 3 independent judges using predefined criteria, with exceptional strategies receiving prizes. Demographic data were collected, and textual data were qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes in barriers and facilitators for improving AYA consent in HIV research, guided by a socioecological model. We received 110 strategies total; 65 were eligible for evaluation, 25 of which were identified as finalists. Fifty-eight participants from 10 LMICs submitted the 65 eligible submissions, of which 30 (52%) were 18 to 24 years old. Thematic analysis identified 10 barriers to AYA consent, including HIV stigma, limited education, and legal/regulatory barriers. Strategies for improving AYA consent processes revealed 7 potential facilitators: enhancing AYA engagement in research, involving parents/guardians, improving education/awareness, improving institutional practices/policy, making research participation more AYA-friendly, enhancing engagement of other key communities of interest, and empowering AYA. Diverse communities of interest in LMICs developed compelling strategies to enhance informed consent that may improve AYA inclusion in HIV research. These data will be used to develop practical guidance on improving AYA consent processes.

Community-Academic Partnerships for Health Research: An Iterative and Transparent Process of Patient Engagement Before the Research Begins.

The root causes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disparities include longstanding systemic racial bias in economic advancement and care delivery, discrimination, lack of access, and social determinants of health. To address these causes, research institutions and health care systems must shift their lens from one that focuses solely on changing behaviors among underserved and vulnerable populations to one that is inward facing. We worked with a community advisory board and an African American church that has partnered on research for more than a decade to identify community norms, needs, and key resources needed for establishing community-academic partnerships for COVID-19 testing. Participants were purposefully sampled with equal representation from 3 groups: (1) church members and leaders, (2) academic or organization researchers with experience in community-engaged research, and (3) community members with experience participating in community-engaged research. Participants engaged in a hands-on exercise in the church basement as part of a town hall-style meeting. Active discussion led to the identification of business model components salient to COVID-19 testing in an underserved Baltimore community, predominantly made up of African Americans. Our discussion identified key partners, activities, resources, costs, value propositions, community relationships, community groups, communication channels, and outputs for community buy-in. Developing the business case for mutual trustworthiness to be better prepared for future pandemics and public health crises may foster more sustainable community-academic partnerships. Using a Business Model Canvas, we delineate the major components, activities, and value propositions that are needed to achieve authentic community-academic partnerships to advance health equity.

Insights from Multiple Stakeholders Regarding Adolescent Obesity in China: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

With a significant increase in the obesity epidemic in China, addressing adolescent obesity should be highlighted as a priority. The current qualitative study aims to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders regarding adolescent obesity, providing guidance for developing effective obesity interventions for Chinese adolescents. A total of 12 focus group discussions were convened with a range of representative stakeholders including adolescents (n = 37), parents (n = 28), and school staff (n = 21) from sample schools. Semi-structured topic guides were used for data collection. All data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. From multiple stakeholder perspectives, we finally identified 3 overarching themes (Understanding adolescent obesity, Key healthy lifestyles, and Barriers to obesity prevention practices) and 8 sub-themes. While participants had mixed perceptions of status and prevalence of adolescent obesity, all acknowledged the serious health consequences associated with it. As significant modifiable risk factors, unhealthy diet and physical activity were identified to be prevalent among Chinese teenagers and lead to excessive weight gain. However, a variety of individual, environmental and sociocultural factors hindered the implementation of healthy lifestyles, affecting adolescent obesity prevention and control. Given adolescent obesity is a complex, multifactorial and multilevel public issue, comprehensive lifestyle interventions are recommended that synergistically engage multiple stakeholders across key communities to fight the ongoing obesity epidemic.