A Network Assessment of Community-based Participatory Action: Linking Communities and Academies to Reduce Cancer Disparities

This study reports the results of the Weaving an Islander Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (WINCART) initiative designed to reduce cancer disparities among Pacific Islanders in southern California. WINCART used community-based participatory approaches to link existing Pacific Islander community groups to university/academic researchers in order to create a two-way communication path between community members and researchers. To evaluate WINCART's effectiveness, a network study was conducted among community members and researchers to determine if the network was strengthened. Results show that community based organizations (CBOs) increased their connectedness with one another and to academic groups, but academicians did not increase their connectedness to the network. Overall network density increased from 29 to 43 percent; and regression analysis showed a significant coefficient for links increasing from CBOs to Academic organizations (Beta=0.12, p<.05). Stochastic actor oriented (ERGM) were also calculated. Results from this study indicate the feasibility of significantly increasing community involvement in community-based participatory research efforts, and will be used to help WINCART strategize efforts to better address academic challenges to such collaborations.