Community advisory boards (CABs) are a valuable strategy for engaging and partnering with communities in research. Eighty-nine percent of Clinical and Translational Science Awardees (CTSA) responding to a 2011 survey reported having a CAB. CTSAs’ experiences with CABs are valuable for informing future practice. This study was conducted to describe common CAB implementation practices among CTSAs; document perceived benefits, challenges, and contributions; and examine their progress toward desirable outcomes. A cross-CTSA collaborative team collected survey data from respondents representing academic and/or community members affiliated with CTSAs with CABs. Data representing 44 CTSAs with CABs were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A majority of respondents reported practices reflecting respect for CAB members’ expertise and input such as compensation (75%), advisory purview beyond their CTSA’s Community Engagement program (88%), and influence over CAB operations. Three-quarters provide members with orientation and training on roles and responsibilities and 89% reported evaluating their CAB. Almost all respondents indicated their CTSA incorporates the feedback of their CABs to some degree; over half do so a lot or completely. This study profiles practices that inform CTSAs implementing a CAB and provide an evaluative benchmark for those with existing CABs.
Unintended pregnancy is a public health problem with societal consequences. The Contraceptive CHOICE Project (CHOICE) demonstrated a reduction in teen pregnancy and abortion by removing barriers to effective contraception. The purpose of the study was to describe the dissemination approach used to create awareness of and promote desire to adopt the CHOICE model among selected audiences. We used a 4-stage approach and detail the work completed in the first 2 stages. We describe stakeholder involvement in the first stage and the process of undertaking core strategies in the second stage. We examine insights gained throughout the process. Through our dissemination approach, we reached an estimated 300,000 targeted individuals, not including the population reached through media. We were contacted by 141 entities for technical assistance. The completion and reporting of dissemination processes is an important component of research. There is a need to fully document and disseminate strategies that can help facilitate practice change.
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