Using principles of community-based participatory research for institutional practices

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles are increasingly emphasized in public health research. The literature expounds on the benefits of CBPR for developing long-term community-academic partnerships and its utility for conducting research. Indeed, CBPR has proven effective in assuring community voices, felt needs, and local assets are integrated throughout research design, implementation and dissemination, resulting in equal and trusting partnerships. However, universities often engage in activities at the institution level which also directly impact communities, yet rarely apply the same guiding principles of CBPR at this level. This presentation will focus on the events surrounding the site selection of the Little Rock Technology Park—a biomedical research park sponsored by the University of Arkansas system. In 2011 it was announced that the future Technology Park would be built over one of three residential neighborhoods in close proximity to the universities. A series of public meetings were held for the community to participate in the process; however, strong feelings of mistrust and hostility toward the project were already pervasive. Residents who would be most directly impacted by neighborhood displacement report feelings of exclusion and disregard from the beginning. Many principles of CBPR were violated during the still ongoing site selection process. These specific principles will be discussed and examples provided for ways the universities could have engaged community members for more favorable outcomes. The presentation will demonstrate the need for methods of community engagement in university initiatives that impact community health in similar ways that CBPR has been embraced for community research.