Training Community Members in Public Health Research: Development and Implementation of a Community Participatory Research Pilot Project

Abstract

Purpose: Community-based training in public health research can build capacity for community-based participatory research (CBPR) and foster health partnerships between academics and stakeholders. We describe a community-academic partnership developed from a 15-week program, the Community Research Fellows Training (CRFT), designed to increase research literacy and facilitate equitable relationships in community/researcher collaborations and partnerships. The article provides a description of a community and faculty collaboration to conduct a participatory pilot research project that followed program completion.Methods: Four CRFT program alumni formed a community research team and selected a faculty mentor. After a request for proposal release, the team developed a pilot research proposal that addressed a concern for mental health among women experiencing economic stress. After completion of the pilot research, the community researchers elected to participate in two dissemination efforts, including a manuscript reflecting on their research experience. Team successes, challenges, and recommendations for future training are discussed.Results: Each member of the CRFT pilot research team reflects on how training prepared community members to conduct CBPR research through development and implementation of a pilot research project. Community researchers gained experience in grant proposal development, choosing appropriate health interventions, conducting in-person surveys and telephone interviews, and disseminating study findings.Conclusions: Providing training in public health research before community/researcher collaboration can increase community capacity to engage in research as equitable partners in research question development, study design, and data interpretation and dissemination. The project success suggests that this and similar programs maximize the potential of community-academic health partnerships to address health disparities.

Co-producing Progression Criteria for Feasibility Studies: A Partnership between Patient Contributors, Clinicians and Researchers

“…Research literacy is a key component of co-production, because knowledge increases parity and participation [7,18,42,43]. Different levels of understanding were evident across all groups, and there were different levels of PPI and research participation experience amongst contributors.…”

The Community Analytics Academy Pilot: A Community-Academic Partnership for Building Community Health Care Analytic Capacity

“…All program components were developed using community-based participatory research principles. 8 Participants, course content, and schedule were all informed by the CBO pilot course participants.…”

Community partnerships in emerging immigrant communities: Lessons learned addressing Latino childhood weight disparities

“…While our project team strived to share power, the disparities in educational and economic opportunities made it difficult to consistently execute shared power and decision making and sustained the power gap between the researchers and the lead partner. In order to bridge the divide in content knowledge and technical skills, some studies cite giving nonresearch partners access to electronic libraries accompanied by literature search tutorials, or training partners in other research‐related topics (Komaie et al., 2018; Rockler et al., 2019). Such guidance presumes literacy, administrative skills, and technology access on the part of community partners that were not present in this case.…”

“…As researchers, we need to further investigate how we can support an emerging community's journey to equitable research partnership and participation. Some studies have addressed this issue through research training programs for community members (Battaglia et al., 2019; Komaie et al., 2018; Rockler et al., 2019). Though these programs provide a helpful foundation for community member training, these programs do not address the particular needs of partnerships with emerging immigrant communities.…”