Lessons learned: Importance of hearing the community's voice in CBPR

Evidence from the literature suggests a vital element in improving health is active participation by community residents. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) establishes equal partnerships between community members and stakeholders and the academic researchers. CBPR, though relatively new, has become an important tool for developing and sustaining public health policies. However, evidence-based research is lacking and, to date, few long-term evaluations have been conducted to develop best practices. In an effort to contribute to the body of literature, Cleveland State University's Center for Health Equity, along with its community partners, are using CBPR methodologies to address health disparities in Cleveland, the nation's “poorest city in America.” ACT: Advancing Central's Health Together, a community-academic partnership, was established to empower Central's residents, a historically disadvantaged minority neighborhood in downtown Cleveland, to design and implement a pilot project surrounding the issue of increasing physical activity in youth. This partnership is unique as the majority of the members are community residents who are not the traditional community leaders, but instead offer a unique perspective and voice. The presentation will examine lessons learned in 1) establishing trust and structure to the community committee, 2) keeping the community engaged and troubleshooting inherent project frustrations, and 3) the importance and significance of empowering residents through advocacy and leadership training. These significant foundational processes of this CBPR project have been instrumental in working with an urban, historically disenfranchised community that are inherently distrustful of academia because of the over-saturation of traditional research projects in the community.