Participation levels in 25 Community-based participatory research projects

Abstract

This analysis describes the nature of community participation in National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects, and explores the scientific and social implications of variation in community participation. We conducted in-depth interviews in 2012 with professional and community researchers from 25 CBPR projects in the Southeast US. Interview topics focused on participants' experiences with the nature and conduct of their CBPR project. Projects were rated on community participation in 13 components of research. Projects varied substantially in community participation. Some projects had community participation in only two to three components; others had participation in every component. Some professional researchers were deliberate in their inclusion of community participation in all aspects of research, others had community participation in some aspects, and others were mainly concerned that community members had the opportunity to participate in the study. Findings suggest a need for a standardized rubric for community-based research that facilitates delineation of approaches and procedures that are effective and efficient. Little actual community participation may also result in negative social impacts for communities.

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

“…We propose a research apprentice model of peer research engagement that would add a deliberate dimension of workforce development to the publicly funded research enterprise while contributing to realize the goals of capacity building, empowerment, and co-learning intrinsic to participatory and translational research(6,18–22). As envisioned, the model capitalizes on the widespread engagement practice of providing community members with training in core concepts, basic research methods, and miscellaneous job skills(5,9,20,23,24), but emphasizes comprehensive instruction to render the apprentice skilled both on broad and specific aspects of research, while fostering aptitudes needed for sustained workforce participation.…”

“…Both rely on training and mentoring of peer researchers to promote their understanding of research and proficiency in study tasks(9). However, while the employment model includes capacity building as a by-product,(5,9,18,20,24) the apprenticeship model has capacity building as its main goal.…”

What is the Co-Creation of New Knowledge? A Content Analysis and Proposed Definition for Health Interventions

“…Beyond translational models, Community-Based Participatory Research [4] or Action Research [5] are alternate practices involving multiple stakeholders; however, there is generally no requirement for a collaborative commitment throughout the whole process from the design phase, and there are often power dynamics that remain unresolved. The result can be that the researchers drive the initial concepts and then leave post intervention trial, taking the knowledge gained with them [6], thus limiting ongoing benefit to those for whom the intervention was being designed.…”

Aligning Community-Engaged Research to Context

“…Despite the popularity of these definitions of CBPR, other scholars employ the term to describe a much broader array of translation-focused, partnership approaches to research [1,14,15]. Indeed, Spears Johnson et al [16] revealed that, of 25 CBPR health projects funded by the Centers for Disease Control and NIH, community involvement ranged from 2 out of 13 defined phases of the research project to all 13. While some studies reflected Israel and colleagues' [8] definition of CBPR and demonstrated high levels of non-academic partner authority throughout the project, others involved community partners in only the participant recruitment or dissemination of the results phases.…”