Cultural & Contextual Specificity: National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer's (NBLIC) Community Based Participatory Research Guiding Principles

Purpose/Goal. As a training tool for community members and researchers in CBPR, NBLIC developed core values and standards reflective of its diverse communities and collaborating partners.

Methodology. Building on the work of Kurt Lewin, Paulo Freire and Barbara Israel, NBLIC developed a scientifically sound, culturally-relevant approach to community-driven research.

Results. The seven principles to CBPR include: We are Family describes the community-based (not community-placed) method, defined within our historical context. It Takes a Village, is the mutual trust established between investigators, stakeholders and the community facilitated through partnerships that respect the co-learning, shared decision-making and mutual ownership of the problem and its solutions. Come as you are describes a call to the community to benefit from a shared learning process to become full participants in the research process. Just Stand is grounded in past research and the emergence of new questions from the research itself. Health, Wholeness & Healing is an integrated approach ensuring individuals have the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for optimal health. We Shall Overcome, Someday points to state-of-the-art cancer prevention, screening and treatment, community-based research and participation for reducing cancer health disparities. Go Tell it on the Mountain is process, outcome and impact evaluations, with results disseminated at all levels. Greater stakeholder buy-in into the CBPR process may result through self-identification with these principles. This training tool ensures that NBLIC's nationwide network of community stakeholders, in conversation with state-of-the-art cancer screening and treatment partners, are better equipped to combat cancer health disparities among African Americans.