Evaluation of Partnerships and Group Participation among a Transdisciplinary Community Based Participatory Research Team

Introduction: Despite research increasingly highlighting the promise of participatory research methodologies to improve health outcomes, there remains little published research evaluating the Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) process itself. Here we evaluate partnership levels and group participation, and thus, adherence to principles of CBPR, in a community-based transdisciplinary research team focused on improving the health outcomes of Hispanics in Charlotte, NC. Methods: In order to determine effectiveness of partnerships and group participation within the team, objective assessment of the CBPR process by an independent investigator with expertise in participatory research methods took place. During monthly community advisory board (CAB) meetings, communication behavior among researchers, providers, and community representatives was evaluated for participatory behaviors such as equal levels of engagement and voice from each group. Over eight meetings, communication data was collected using surveys, independent observational analysis and focus groups. Results: All participants felt strongly included in CAB meetings from the outset. While all participant types followed the same patterns of behavior, researchers did more directive communication and taking voice than providers or community participants. Over time, increased levels of behaviors associated with CBPR were seen by all participants, while those not characteristic of CBPR decreased. Conclusions / Discussion: When feelings associated with being included were observed early on, increased levels of participatory behavior followed. Results were disseminated back to researchers and ways to maintain and improve participatory communication were suggested. These methods evaluate and enhance CBPR partnership processes in a reproducible way that can be easily adopted by other researchers.