Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112899

Genita Johnson, MPH¹, Anna Barahona¹, Roland Smart¹, and Sokoya Finch². (1) Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 841 Parker Street, Roxbury, MA 02120, 617-495-8743, gjohnson@hsph.harvard.edu, (2) Florida Family Network, Florida A & M University, 400 Gaither Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305

Community based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings(1). Done properly, CBPR creates a bridge between researchers and the community and mutually benefits all partners. Despite a recent demand for CBPR initiatives, very few guidelines exist in determining how best to establish mutual trust and understanding between an overly researched and suspicious community of interest and a well-intentioned research community. Community health workers (HAs) represent the bridge to successful community based research efforts, ensuring the collaboration of the partnership as a whole. HAs have unique skills, including historic, experiential and culture-based knowledge, that support all partners in equity ownership and capacity building. During this presentation, HAs will introduce participants to CHOICE, the Center for Healthy Options and Innovative Community Empowerment, an NIH-NCMHD Project EXPORT initiative. CHOICE, a partnership between Harvard University and Florida A. & M. University focuses on eliminating health disparities in African Americans. The workshop will examine the broad and specific roles of Community Health Advisors, ranging from trainers to field researchers, highlighting the similarities and differences in roles when considering urban and rural community-based research partnerships

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of this session, particpants will be able to

• define the roles of and build capacity for Community Health Advisors when engaged in CBPR, particularly when addressing health disparities in poor and minority populaions;
• identify and create new roles for Community Health Advisors presently involved in CBPR; and
• identify the key components of a social marketing plan to engage both urban and rural communities.

Keywords: Participatory Research, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.