Using Community-Based Participatory Research to Ameliorate Cancer Disparities

Abstract

Although much attention has been paid to health disparities in the past decades, interventions to ameliorate disparities have been largely unsuccessful. One reason is that the interventions have not been culturally tailored to the disparity populations whose problems they are meant to address. Community-engaged research has been successful in improving the outcomes of racial and ethnic minority groups and thus has great potential for decreasing between-group health disparities. In this article, the authors argue that a type of community-engaged research, community-based participatory research (CBPR), is particularly useful for social workers doing health disparities research because of its flexibility and degree of community engagement. After providing an overview of community research, the authors define the parameters of CBPR, using their own work in African American and white disparities in breast cancer mortality as an example of its application. Next, they outline the inherent challenges of CBPR to academic and community partnerships. The authors end with suggestions for developing and maintaining successful community and academic partnerships.

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

“…Critical factors in successful CBPR initiatives include a diligent effort to foster trust with the community partners, and meaningful and effective instruction in research methods necessary to carry out the project (Buys & Bursnall, 2007; Christopher, Watts, McCormick, & Young, 2008; Cross et al, 2011; Gehlert & Coleman, 2010; Mendenhall et al, 2010; Story, Hinton, & and Wyatt, 2010; Wallerstein & Duran, 2010). Researchers have recognized the need to train the community in research methods so that community-based organizations may truly participate on equal footing in all aspects of the research process, including identification of the research problem, survey design, Institutional Review Board (IRB) procedures, the informed consent process, and data collection and analysis (Hyatt et al, 2009).…”

“…Others have noted that the time investment necessary to develop a working understanding of and trust with the community partner may involve committing two or more years to a project, and that this presents a complicating factor to meaningful collaboration (Gehlert & Coleman, 2010). However, when individuals indigenous to the community assume leadership positions as community advisory board members or community health advocates, for example, trusting relationships are more easily developed, and confidence in the value of the research to the community is supported and maintained (Baiardi et al, 2010; Story et al, 2010).…”

Transdisciplinary Cardiovascular and Cancer Health Disparities Training: Experiences of the Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities

“…Community-based participatory research (CBPR) De Marco et al 15 Gehlert and Coleman 16 Introductory and advanced public health coursework and seminars on CBPR Design of and participation in projects utilizing CBPR Participation in community advisory board activities and interfacing with the centers' community advisory boards in designing and implementing their projects Implementation science Jean-Jacques et al 17 Cooper et al 18 Ephraim et al 19 Seminars and roundtable discussions to highlight and address health system factors and health policy factors influencing successful implementation of interventions Shadowing opportunities to meet with key community stakeholders to expose trainees to existing policy programs administered on a population scale and to provide diverse stakeholder perspectives to sustain and disseminate findings as smoking) while controlling for a factor at another level (e.g., a policy such as a clean indoor air ordinance). For this reason, they are especially suited to the analysis of multifactorial influences on health disparities.…”

A Method for Achieving Reciprocity of Funding in Community-Based Participatory Research

“…Partnerships are most effective when a balance can be achieved between the unique expertise of community and academic partners. This balance relies on transparency of the research process, 7 which we define as operating in such a way that all involved see what actions have been performed. Yet, transparency is not easily achieved and requires significant investment from all partners.…”