Community Engagement Practices at Research Centers in U.S. Minority Institutions: Priority Populations and Innovative Approaches to Advancing Health Disparities Research

Tabia Henry Akintobi, Payam Sheikhattari, Emma Shaffer, Christina L. Evans, Kathryn L. Braun, Angela U. Sy, Bibiana Mancera, Adriana Campa, Stephania T. Miller, Daniel Sarpong, Rhonda Holliday, Julio Jimenez-Chavez, Shafiq Khan, Cimona Hinton, Kimberly Sellars-Bates, Veronica Ajewole, Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone, Juliet McMullin, Sandra Suther, K. Sean Kimbro, Lorraine Taylor, Carmen M. Velez Vega, Carla Williams, George Perry, Stephan Zuchner, Melissa Marzan Rodriguez and Paul B. Tchounwou
Additional contact information
Tabia Henry Akintobi: Prevention Research Center, Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Payam Sheikhattari: Prevention Sciences Research Center, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA
Emma Shaffer: Prevention Sciences Research Center, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA
Christina L. Evans: Prevention Research Center, Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Kathryn L. Braun: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Ola HAWAII, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Angela U. Sy: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Ola HAWAII, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Bibiana Mancera: Border Biomedical Research Center, College of Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Adriana Campa: Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
Stephania T. Miller: Department of Surgery, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
Daniel Sarpong: Department of Biostatistics, Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro 9000, Philippines
Rhonda Holliday: Prevention Research Center, Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Julio Jimenez-Chavez: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Shafiq Khan: Department of Biological Sciences, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA
Cimona Hinton: Department of Biological Sciences, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA
Kimberly Sellars-Bates: Department of Biological Sciences, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA
Veronica Ajewole: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone: Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Juliet McMullin: Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
Sandra Suther: College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
K. Sean Kimbro: Biological and Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
Lorraine Taylor: Biological and Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
Carmen M. Velez Vega: Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00921, USA
Carla Williams: College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
George Perry: College of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
Stephan Zuchner: John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
Melissa Marzan Rodriguez: Public Health Program, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Paul B. Tchounwou: Department of Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: This paper details U.S. Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Community Engagement Cores (CECs): (1) unique and cross-cutting components, focus areas, specific aims, and target populations; and (2) approaches utilized to build or sustain trust towards community participation in research. A mixed-method data collection approach was employed for this cross-sectional study of current or previously funded RCMIs. A total of 18 of the 25 institutions spanning 13 U.S. states and territories participated. CEC specific aims were to support community engaged research (94%); to translate and disseminate research findings (88%); to develop partnerships (82%); and to build capacity around community research (71%). Four open-ended questions, qualitative analysis, and comparison of the categories led to the emergence of two supporting themes: (1) establishing trust between the community-academic collaborators and within the community and (2) building collaborative relationships. An overarching theme, building community together through trust and meaningful collaborations, emerged from the supporting themes and subthemes. The RCMI institutions and their CECs serve as models to circumvent the historical and current challenges to research in communities disproportionately affected by health disparities. Lessons learned from these cores may help other institutions who want to build community trust in and capacities for research that addresses community-related health concerns.

Keywords: community-engaged research; translation; best practices; research centers in minority institutions; lessons learned (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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