Moving beyond a seat at the table: A policy driven coalition board model towards community-driven health disparities research

Background: Community-based participatory research approaches and the partnerships central to them can be challenging when community members have not traditionally led research initiatives based on their health priorities.

Purpose: To detail approaches designed to position community residents as senior partners in all research phases through a community coalition board (CCB)

Methods: A community health needs assessment was conducted to development a research agenda. Secondary data included, but were not limited, to incidence and prevalence rates for leading causes of morbidity. Primary data included surveys pilot tested and administered among board members and 361 community residents. Competitively selected community-based organizations were also awarded to support identified health priorities of cardiovascular health, physical activity and the sexual and physical health of men returning to communities following incarceration. Three project review committees were also deployed to guide faculty-led research projects toward more targeted community-specific guidance for the life of each project. At least one member of each committee is a community resident. Each PI and their staff meet with their designated project review committee quarterly.

Results: The CCB infrastructure has been leveraged to acquire other federal grants now requiring research translational through a demonstrated history of community engagement. Partnerships have also expanded toward more efficiency and interdisciplinary dissemination.

Conclusion: The CCB is an intentional approach, complete with community developed by-laws and research criteria by which to critically review and assess the community credibility of proposed research. The processes and outcomes shared sheds light on dimensions germane to facilitating collaborative community engaged research partnerships.