Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

1. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) A Non-Traditional Research Method

2. Today, I’d like to discuss… • CBPR • Rationale • Definition • Underlying principals • Challenges & Benefits • Application to a study • “Statewide Assessment of Sexuality Education in Florida’s Public Schools”

3. How are academic researchers perceived?

4. Rational for conducting research differently… • Increasing research evidence that: • Poor health outcomes are associated with social & physical environment stressors • Skills, strengths & resources exist within communities & among members that can address stressors

5. Rational for conducting research differently… • Historically, communities involved in research have: • Rarely directly benefited from research findings • At times, been harmed by research process & dissemination of findings • Often been denied influence over the research process

6. Rational for conducting research differently… • This has resulted in: • Distrust of, & reluctance to participate in research • Interventions that are not as effective as possible • Calls for more comprehensive & participatory approaches to research & practice

7. Research that takes a partnership approach All partners: Participate in each aspect of research process Contribute their own expertise Share responsibility & ownership Goal: Enhance understanding & capacity to address priority issues Apply new understanding & capacity to develop & implement interventions tailored to community context & needs Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998

8. Community-Basedvs.Community-Placed Community

9. Participation • Can be health-enhancing in & of itself* • Basic tenet of empowerment • Improves quality of intervention design & implementation • Requires professional/researcher to give up some control *Eng, et al.

10. Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation 8) Citizen Participation 7) Delegated Power 6) Partnership Degrees of Citizen Power 5) Placation 4) Consultation Degrees of Tokenism 3) Informing 2) Therapy 1) Manipulation Non-participation Arnstein, SR (1969) AIP Journal, 216-224

11. Recognizes community as unit of identity Begins with & builds on community’s strengths/resources Facilitates collaborative, equitable partnership in all phases of research Promotes co-learning & capacity building among partners Integrates & creates a balance between knowledge generation & action for mutual benefit of all partners Principles of CBPR Schulz, et al., 1998

12. Emphasizes & addresses community priorities – at multiple socio-ecological levels Involves systems development through a cyclical & iterative process Involves a long-term process & commitment Disseminates findings to & by all partners & community Principles of CBPR Schulz, et al., 1998

13. Challenges of using a CBPR approach • Very time consuming - for all partners • Trust among partners is fragile • Who to include in partnership – to ensure representation? • Including partners in all ‘day-to-day’ decision making • Dissemination of findings in timely, useful way • Risk of ‘taking a stand’ for social change Israel, et al., 1998; Lopez, 2005

14. Benefits of using a CBPR approach: Contributions to communities & science • Enhances relevance & use of data • Enhances intervention design & implementation • Increases quality & validity of research/findings • Has potential to translate research findings to guide development of further interventions & policy change Israel, et al., 1998

15. Benefits of using a CBPR approach: Contributions to communities & science • Provides resources for communities involved • Joins partners with diverse expertise • Increases trust & bridges cultural gaps among partners • Interventions, & knowledge gained directly benefit the community Israel, et al., 1998