About Community-Based Participatory Research

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is a model for conducting health research that grew out of the realizations of those connected with the health care system at all levels in the mid-1990s. From funding agencies and their overseers, to biomedical researchers, to health care providers and clinicians, to patients and the communities they live in all can agree that too often there is a disconnect between those making funding decisions and carrying out the health promotion research, and the health of patients actually improving due to these efforts. CBPR proponents understand that much of this disconnect occurs because it is the patient in his/her community and family setting that chooses when and how to access and make use of medical knowledge and services. Thus it only makes sense to conduct health research in a way that includes patients and their communities in ALL phases of the research process in order that information is developed that is meaningful to the patient and community, and that will be embraced and utilized by them because it meets their particular needs.

The CBPR model is certainly the most appropriate research method for investigating health issues and health promotion in Alaska Native communities. Those interested in learning more about CBPR are encouraged to visit http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/5/2/185 where an informative overview of this research method is presented. This article provides a link to the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine’s Family Medicine Digital Resources Library website and an annotated bibliography that outlines the history of CBPR as well as it’s most recent advances.

Those interested in gaining a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of CBPR are offered the following resources as a starting point.

1. Trickett, E. J. and Ryerson Espino, S.L. (2004). Collaboration and Social Inquiry: Multiple Meanings of a Construct and Its Role in Creating Useful and Valid Knowledge. American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol. 34, Nos. 1/2.
   
2. http://aianp.uchsc.edu/coc/documents/PrinciplesforParticipatoryResearchCirclesofCare.pdf

Of particular importance in this document is the table that includes the principles of CBPR that were first described by Israel et.al. in 2003.

The full reference for this Israel article is:
Israel, B. A., Schulz, A. J., Parker, E. A., Becker, A. B., Allen III, A. J., & Guzman, R. (2003). Critical issues in developing and following Community Based Participatory Research principles. In M. Minkler & N. Wallerstein (Eds.), Community Based Participatory Research for Health (pp. 53-76). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.