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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Genita Johnson, MD, MPH¹, Anna Barahona², and Roland Smart². (1) Division of Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 841 Parker St, Ground Floor, Roxbury, MA 02120, 617 495-8743, gjohnson@hsph.harvard.edu, (2) Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 841 Parker Street, Roxbury, MA 02120

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 (W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Community Health Scholars Program, 2001). Done properly, CBPR creates a bridge between researchers and the community and mutually benefits all partners. Despite a recent demand for CBPR initiatives, few guidelines exist on how best to establish mutual trust and understanding between an overly researched and suspicious community of interest and well-intentioned researchers. Community health workers (HAs) represent the bridge to successful community based research efforts, ensuring the collaboration of all partners in the partnership. 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. CHOICE has a unique relationship with rural Gadsden County, FL and urban Roxbury MA (Boston). 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, participants 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 populations; · identify and envision new roles for Community Health Advisors involved in CBPR; and identify the key components of a social marketing plan to engage both urban and rural communities.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session 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 populations;
• Identify and envision new roles for Community Health Advisors involved in CBPR;
• Develop a social marketing plan with the key components to engage both urban and rural communities.

Keywords: Community Health Advisor, Community Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation