Investigating Health Disparities through Community-Based Participatory Research: Lessons Learned from a Process Evaluation

Abstract

This article describes one university's efforts to partner with a local agency (the “Coalition”) within a disadvantaged, predominantly African American neighborhood, to assist them with studying their community's health disparities and health care access. The final, mutually agreed-upon plan used a community-based participatory research approach, wherein university researchers prepared neighborhood volunteers and Coalition members to conduct face-to-face interviews with residents about their health and health care access. Subsequently, the Coalition surveyed 138 residents, and the agency now possesses extensive data about the nature and extent of health problems in their community. Lessons learned from these experiences are offered.

The Role of Religious Behavior in Health Self-Management: A Community-Based Participatory Research Study

“…Key characteristics of CBPR as outlined by (Israel et al 2010) were used in the design of the research study, including (1) recognition of the community as a unit of identity, (2) development of resources and strengths in the community, (3) encouragement of learning and empowerment that aligns with social inequities, (4) incorporation of knowledge and action for the benefit of all members, (5) furthers the process of collaborative learning and enhances self-efficacy dealing with social inequalities, (6) communicates findings and information acquired to all members, and (7) necessitates a long-standing relationship by all members (Israel et al 2001). A crucial aspect of successful CBPR involves the effort to build trust among partners and community members to participate equally throughout the research process (Bryan et al 2014). Through this framework, communities benefit as health disparities are addressed by culturally appropriate interventions and researchers who may facilitate policy change (Israel et al 2010;Cacari-Stone et al 2014; O'Brien and Whitaker 2011).…”

A Multigenerational Strategy to Transform Health Education into Community Action

“…7,8 Strikingly, a 2010 survey conducted by a CU-driven coalition to address these inequities revealed that of 138 participants, 97 percent reported visiting emergency rooms for non-emergency care. 9…”

Research Apprenticeship and Its Potential as a Distinct Model of Peer Research Practice

“…The BAWC serves the Trinity Gardens neighborhood by providing affordable housing, working to create a safer and healthier community, building leadership and participation, and generating resources and support for this community (10). The HDRG is a multidisciplinary group of USA faculty, students and staff focused on CBPR as a vehicle to promote health equity(11).…”

“…HDRG faculty introduced BAWC volunteers to basic health research methodology, supporting them in the design, fielding and analysis of a health survey among 138 randomly selected neighborhood households. The process and outcomes of the project have been described in detail(10). …”

“…Starting in 2004, the University of South Alabama (USA) Center for Healthy Communities committed to a participatory research approach to address health disparities(10,11), and has engaged peer researchers as Advisors, Employees, and Partners(10–12). In addition, we implemented a “Research Apprentice” prototype of peer research conceived as a post-secondary workforce development avenue for members of disadvantaged communities, involving the ability to earn a salary while gaining proficiency in research related tasks(13–15).…”