211358 Partnerships for Environmental Public Health: Community Based Participatory Approaches to Research and Action

Monday, November 9, 2009: 4:30 PM

Angela Reyes, MPH , Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Detroit, MI
Amy J. Schulz, PhD MPH , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
The elimination of persistent health inequities requires the engagement of multiple perspectives, resources and skills to address both social and physical environmental inequities. Community-based participatory research is one approach to developing action strategies that promote health equity by addressing environmental conditions that contribute to health inequities. We discuss strategies and challenges associated with participatory processes that engage local insights and expertise, are informed by the existing public health knowledge base, and build support across multiple sectors to implement solutions to environmental health inequities. In particular, we consider the potential for community-based participatory approaches to research to contribute to the the evidence base for environmental health promotion and environmental health equity, while simultaneously enhancing community capacity through supporting community leadership, strengthening networks of relationships, and equitably engaging a wide range of representatives across sectors, disciplines, and communities.

Learning Objectives:
1) Attendees will be able to identify the important need for research conducted in a manner that builds capacity to promote environmental health equity; 2)Attendees will be able to assess opportunities and challenges associated with community based participatory research approaches to the promotion of environmental health equity; 3)Attendees will be able to describe strategies for building partnerships that more effectively address environmental health inequities.

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have an MPH from the UM SPH and have been working in partnership wiht the Detroit Community Academic Urban Research Center on community-based participatory research projects for over 12 years as the Executive Director of a community-based organization. I have also been a member of the Healthy Environments Partnership Steering Committee for 6 years, which oversees the design, implmentation and evaluation of the research project that is the topic of our presentation and was actively invovled in its implementation at our organization.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Partnerships for Environmental Public Health: Promoting Research to Action
See more of: Environment