Using boundary-work to understand the dynamics of community-based participatory research

Background: Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) has been advocated as an approach to eliminate health disparities among communities of color.  Yet, when the key principles of CBPR are followed, implementation issues related to participation and power sharing among CBPR partners may still occur. With origins in sociology, boundary-work describes the creation of symbolic characteristics to draw boundaries between social groups.  The purpose of this systematic review is to apply the elements of boundary-work to explain issues of academic-community participation in CBPR.

Methods: Systematic review of literature focused on CBPR project implementation was conducted on major databases, including PubMed and Science Direct.  Key search words included: CBPR, implementation, academic, community, and participation.  Commonly identified issues were classified according to the processes and functions of boundary-work. 

Results: The systematic review identified three key issues related to academic-community participation in CBPR 1) unintended exclusion of stakeholders from the symbolic domains of research and of community 2) shifting boundaries of tasks and responsibilities among CBPR partners to protect institutional autonomy 3) delineation of culture-centered boundaries to advance community priorities and values. 

Conclusion: Increased attention to boundary-work may help understand implementation challenges in CBPR.  The proliferation of boundaries that distinguishes the domains of research from that of the community may complicate the working relationship among CBPR stakeholders.  On the other hand, the production of community-centered moral boundaries may help CBPR partners resolve ethical dilemmas in CBPR.  Future studies should further examine how perceptions of symbolic boundary affect partnership processes and outcomes.