Community-engaged research

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Community-engaged research (CEnR) is the process of working collaboratively with groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity, special interests, or similar situations with respect to issues affecting their well-being. One of the most widely used forms of community-engaged research is community-based participatory research (CBPR), [1] though it also encompasses action research and participatory action research. Another form of community-engaged research is integrated knowledge translation (iKT), [2] defined as "an approach to doing research that applies the principles of knowledge translation to the entire research process". The iKT evolves around the concept of engaging [3] different levels of knowledge users (community members, organizations working in the community, and policy makers) [3] [4] as equal partners in the research activities so that research outputs are more relevant to, and more likely to be useful to, the knowledge users.

Contents

History

Community-engaged research arose in response to historical abuse of marginalized people by researchers, who failed to consider the needs of the community and potential benefits of the research. Types of CEnR include action research, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and participatory action research (PAR). The field of CEnR has grown rapidly since 2005. [5]

Process

Community-engaged research is planned in partnership with the community that is the intended target of the research. [6] It requires the development of partnerships between researchers and the community, cooperation and negotiation between parties, collaboration, and a commitment to addressing local health concerns. [7] This can create additional steps not traditionally found in research projects, such as jointly creating a mission statement or a memorandum of understanding to establish terminology, timelines, and expectations. These planning steps typically occur before funding is secured for the research project so that a meaningful and trusting relationship is the platform for the research activities. [3] Community members may be skeptical of research conducted without compensation; researchers and the community can collaborate to define fair compensation for participation. [6] The researchers also can involve the community members in the research activities and ensuring community member capacity building needs. [4]

CEnR projects exist along a spectrum of the level of community involvement. In order from least- to most-involved, examples are investigator-driven research, community-placed research, community-based research, community-based participatory research, and community-driven research. [7]

Scope

Reviews of community-engaged research indicate that this type of research predominantly occurs in the US and the Americas. Europe is represented chiefly by studies in the United Kingdom, and some studies have been conducted in Australia as well. Few reviews of community-engaged research have included work done in Africa or Asia. [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participatory action research</span> Approach to research in social sciences

Participatory action research (PAR) is an approach to action research emphasizing participation and action by members of communities affected by that research. It seeks to understand the world by trying to change it, collaboratively and following reflection. PAR emphasizes collective inquiry and experimentation grounded in experience and social history. Within a PAR process, "communities of inquiry and action evolve and address questions and issues that are significant for those who participate as co-researchers". PAR contrasts with mainstream research methods, which emphasize controlled experimentation, statistical analysis, and reproducibility of findings.

Photovoice is a qualitative research method used in community-based participatory research that gathers participant-taken photographs and narratives to translate experience into actionable knowledge. Photovoice is commonly used in the fields of community development, international development, public health, and education. According to Wang and Burris, the creators of the process, a photovoice project should aim to: (1) empower individuals to document and reflect on community assets and concerns, (2) invite critical dialogue and create knowledge about important community issues while using photographs as a medium for group discussion, (3) reach policymakers and stakeholders. Photos taken by participants are used as reference material to guide discussion and interviews in groups, with researchers, or both. Unlike traditional interviews, photovoice does not solely rely on verbal communication. Since participants address issues non-verbally with photographs, photovoice can be used to overcome social, cultural and linguistic barriers to communication. As a result, photovoice can be implemented with participants regardless of age, education level, language, gender, race, class, disability, etc. Photovoice is used to gather new insights and perspectives that raise awareness of hidden or overlooked issues and aspects of a given community.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an equitable approach to research in which researchers, organizations, and community members collaborate on all aspects of a research project. CBPR empowers all stakeholders to offer their expertise and partake in the decision-making process. CBPR projects aim to increase the body of knowledge and the public's awareness of a given phenomenon and apply that knowledge to create social and political interventions that will benefit the community. CBPR projects range in their approaches to community engagement. Some practitioners are less inclusive of community members in the decision-making processes, whereas others empower community members to direct of the goals of the project.

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References

  1. ↑ Balls-Berry, J. E.; Acosta-Pérez, E. (2017). "The Use of Community Engaged Research Principles to Improve Health: Community Academic Partnerships for Research". Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal. 36 (2): 84–85. PMC   5582944 . PMID   28622404.
  2. ↑ Kitson, A., and M. Bisby. 2008. Speeding up the spread: putting KT research into practice and developing an integrated KT collaborative research agenda. Edmonton (AB): Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.
  3. 1 2 3 Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury; Chowdhury, Nashit; Haque, Sarika; Rumana, Nahid; Rahman, Nafiza; Lasker, Mohammad A. A. (August 2021). "Meaningful and deep community engagement efforts for pragmatic research and beyond: engaging with an immigrant/racialised community on equitable access to care". BMJ Global Health. 6 (8): e006370. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006370. ISSN   2059-7908. PMC   8383879 . PMID   34426405.
  4. 1 2 Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury; Chowdhury, Nashit; Haque, Sarika; Rumana, Nahid; Rahman, Nafiza; Lasker, Mohammad A. A. (December 2021). "Involving im/migrant community members for knowledge co-creation: the greater the desired involvement, the greater the need for capacity building". BMJ Global Health. 6 (12): e007602. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007602. ISSN   2059-7908. PMC   8718487 . PMID   34969687.
  5. 1 2 Ortiz, Kasim; Nash, Jacob; Shea, Logan; Oetzel, John; Garoutte, Justin; Sanchez-Youngman, Shannon; Wallerstein, Nina (2020). "Partnerships, Processes, and Outcomes: A Health Equity–Focused Scoping Meta-Review of Community-Engaged Scholarship". Annual Review of Public Health. 41: 177–199. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094220 . PMC   8095013 . PMID   31922931.
  6. 1 2 Michener, Lloyd; Cook, Jennifer; Ahmed, Syed M.; Yonas, Michael A.; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio (2012). "Aligning the Goals of Community-Engaged Research: Why and How Academic Health Centers Can Successfully Engage With Communities to Improve Health". Academic Medicine. 87 (3): 285–291. doi:10.1097/ACM.0b013e3182441680. ISSN   1040-2446. PMC   3292771 . PMID   22373619.
  7. 1 2 Hacker, Karen; Glover Taylor, J. (2011). Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) and the Institutional Review Board: Principles, Challenges, and Opportunities. The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center.
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