204698 Identifying Promising Practices to Create, Evaluate and Sustain Community Advisory Boards

Wednesday, November 11, 2009: 1:15 PM

Ester R. Shapiro, PhD , Psychology and HORIZON Center, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Boston, MA
Genita Johnson, MD, MPH , Division of Health Policy & Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Roxbury, MA
Naomi Bitow, MPH , Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
Felton Earls, MD , Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Karen T. Craddock, Ed M, Ph D , Department of Health Policy & Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Brian K. Gibbs, MPA, PhD , Associate Dean for Diversity and Cultural Competency, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Vindya Kumarapeli, MB BS, MSc, MD , Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Jessica Yen , Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Speshal Walker, BA , Psychology and Gaston Institute, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Boston, MA
Esroruleh Tamim Mohammad, BA , Health Promotion Research Group, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA
The growing call for Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) argues that progress in public health can only arise through mutually respectful, co-learning relationships among researchers, community members, and policy makers. Interventions used in the past “historically rarely directly benefits and sometimes actually harmed the communities involved and has excluded them from influence over the research process” (Israel, 1998). Community Advisory Boards (CABs) provide a link between researchers and the community ensuring that the community members are engaged throughout the research process and that the research is responsive to the community where the research is being conducted.

While an increasing number of governing bodies and funders require community input through a CAB structure, few guidelines exist based on a systematic assessment of successful policies and practices. As the focus on CBPR and requirement for community participation in research increases, there is an emergent need to understand “best practices” for community input.

This presentation will focus on an exploratory study of the current and promising practices of CABs for research projects and partnerships funded by NCMHD, Centers of Excellence and the CDC, Prevention Research Centers. The presentation will highlight methods used including literature review, interviews and internet search to assess and develop recommendations to advance the efficacy of CABs. By the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: (1) describe current practices of CABs, (2) identify the capacity, impact, and utility of a CAB, and (3) demonstrate the potential for sustainability of an existing CAB.

Learning Objectives:
1.Describe the current practices of Community Advisory Boards. 2.Identify the capacity, impact, and utility of a CAB. 3.Demonstrate the potential for sustainability of an existing CAB.

Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Community Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered