 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Fran Close, PhD, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, Science Research Center, Room 110, Tallahassee, FL 32307, Sokoya Finch, MA, Gadsden County REEACH, 400 Gaither Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305, Marvin A. Crafter, Woolfolk Citizens Response Group, 901 Edward Street, Fort Valley, GA 31030, and Adrienne L. Hollis, PhD, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Science Research Center, Room 209C, Tallahassee, FL 32307, 850-599-8840, adrienne.hollis@famu.edu.
Traditionally, communities have perceived academic institutions and government agencies as outsiders coming to conduct research ‘on’ them rather than ‘with’ them. In most cases, the outsiders would identify and design a project and conduct activities without community input. This suggested the researchers were not interested in community concerns, but were driven by their own agendas. Further, once the project ended, communities did not seem to benefit from the study itself. Because this method was unsuccessful, a new paradigm was developed -community-based participatory research (CBPR). The CBPR process aims to engage, educate and empower community members in equal partnerships with academia, government, and other stakeholders in problem definition, information collection, data analysis, and implementation of strategies. Because past interactions have led to feelings of mistrust, there is general hesitancy from communities to work with academia and government agencies. This alternative to traditional research may help to ensure that research strategies address community needs and sustainability issues, while developing trust among all participants. Although participatory research is not entirely new, it is relatively new to the public health arena. We have designed and successfully implemented a process that assures the community’s role as an equal stakeholder and partner in decision-making, while eliminating false expectations. This process also delineates responsibilities and ensures effective, successful CBPR projects.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Community-Based Public Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Florida A&M University's Institute of Public Health and Gadsden County Racial, Ethnic and Environmental Approaches to Community Health (REEACH)
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.