Community Training Institute for Health Disparities: Outcomes of a Formal Opportunity for Community Capacity Building to Increase Health Equity in Southern Puerto Rico

Julio Jiménez-Chávez (), Fernando J. Rosario-Maldonado, David A. Vélez-Maldonado, Dorimar Rodríguez-Torruella, Jeannie M. Aguirre-Hernández, Eida Castro-Figueroa, Gloria Asencio-Toro, Elizabeth Rivera-Mateo, Luisa Morales-Torres, Axel Ramos-Lucca, Jorge L. Motta-Pagán, Nina Wallerstein and Melissa Marzán-Rodríguez
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Julio Jiménez-Chávez: School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Fernando J. Rosario-Maldonado: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
David A. Vélez-Maldonado: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Dorimar Rodríguez-Torruella: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Jeannie M. Aguirre-Hernández: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Eida Castro-Figueroa: School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Gloria Asencio-Toro: School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Elizabeth Rivera-Mateo: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Luisa Morales-Torres: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Axel Ramos-Lucca: School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Jorge L. Motta-Pagán: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
Nina Wallerstein: College of Population Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Melissa Marzán-Rodríguez: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: Integration of the community into health research through community-engaged research has proven to be an essential strategy for reducing health inequities. It brings significant benefits by addressing community health concerns and promoting active community participation in research. The Community Training Institute for Health Disparities (CTIHD) was established to support this integration based on Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles. The main objective of this paper is to report the CTIHD program’s implementation, evaluation, and outcomes from the first two cohorts. The CTIHD recruited Hispanic community members ( N = 54) to be trained in health disparities research and health promotion to foster Community–Academic Partnerships (CAPs) and develop community-led health promotion interventions. Evaluation measures included satisfaction, knowledge change, retention rate, completion rate, and project proposals (research and community health promotion plans). The retention and completion rates were 83% and 78%, respectively, with forty-two ( n = 42) community trainees receiving the completion certification. Both cohorts demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge ( p < 0.05), and overall satisfaction exceeded 90%. Outcomes include seven (7) community–academic partnerships, leading to the co-development of research proposals, three (3) of which received funding. Additionally, twenty-two (22) community health promotion plans were developed, with seven (7) implemented, impacting 224 individuals. Findings from this study suggest that the CTIHD effectively provided capacity building, promoted the formation of CAPs, and increased community-led health promotion interventions, thereby advancing health disparity research and community initiatives.

Keywords: community capacity building; health disparities research; health promotion; community-based participatory research; community researchers; community health promoters; Hispanic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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