Community-based participatory research through virtual communities

Abstract

Background: Over the last quarter century many new cyberspace platforms have emerged that facilitate communication across time, geographical distance and now even language. Whereas brick-and-mortar communities are defined by geographically local characteristics, a virtual community is an online community of individuals who socialize and connect around a common interest or theme using the Internet. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a public health approach that requires equitable partnerships between community members and researchers. Virtual communities abound on the Internet today, yet their application to CBPR is rarely considered. Methods: We examine three case studies to explore the advantages and challenges of virtual communities for CBPR, as well as several of the online tools CBPR practitioners can use to facilitate virtual community participation. Results: There is a potential utility of virtual communities in supporting CBPR efforts as they reduce the effects of geographical barriers, maximize the growth potential of the community, and provide portable and affordable channels forreal-time communication. Some caveats indicated in our case studies are: technological challenges, difficulty in crediting members’ contributions and determining ownership of content, no face-to-face interaction may hinder relationship formation, cohesion, and trust resulting in lower engagement. Conclusions: The paper concludes with recommendations for the use of virtual communities in CBPR projects, such as in the coordination of statewide health care policy initiatives and in the dissemination of best public health practices.

Going Virtual: Building Online Collaborations to Understand COVID-19’s Psychosocial Impacts on New York City Adults

“…In prior years, researchers attributed successes with virtual CBPR to breaking potential access barriers based on geographic and other factors (Tamí-Maury et al, 2017). In contrast, others have found that CBPR conducted remotely felt more disconnected due to a lack of physical interaction, inadequate technological skills or reduced access to secure internet, and complicated decision-making and other communication processes (Henderson et al, 2013;O'Brien et al, 2014;Tamí-Maury et al, 2017).…”

“…In prior years, researchers attributed successes with virtual CBPR to breaking potential access barriers based on geographic and other factors (Tamí-Maury et al, 2017). In contrast, others have found that CBPR conducted remotely felt more disconnected due to a lack of physical interaction, inadequate technological skills or reduced access to secure internet, and complicated decision-making and other communication processes (Henderson et al, 2013;O'Brien et al, 2014;Tamí-Maury et al, 2017). In response to these challenges, the multiple modes of engagement that we leveraged allowed people to show up in ways that made sense for them as they, too, were getting used to what it meant to transition to remote work during a global pandemic (BBC Worklife, 2020).…”

New Koinonia Epistemology in the Digital-Based Christian Theology

“…The same thinking can be applied in the digital spiritual space. A koinonia will only be formed when people in the digital room are not merely present but also mutually connected in a digital community (Tamí-Maury et al, 2017). Therefore, the emotional experience can still be maintained.…”

Building capacity in quantitative research and data storytelling to enhance knowledge translation: a training curriculum for peer researchers

“…The new need for online learning in the context of COVID-19 COVID-19 lockdowns around the world have reduced the number of research studies where community members are involved despite the capacity for them to make meaningful contributions to policy making and building public trust [18]. Research suggests that appropriately designed online education can produce as good or better results than face-to-face learning, and there is a desire for some online education to continue post pandemic [19][20][21][22]. More research is needed to understand how to effectively adapt training and education in the context of COVID-19.…”