A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach Aimed at Achieving Health Equity

1. The Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center:
A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach Aimed
at Achieving Health Equity*
Barbara A. Israel, DrPH, Professor
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan
Co-Authors: Richard Lichtenstein, PhD, and Amy Schulz, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Michigan,
Ricardo Guzman, MPH, CEO Emeritus, Community Health and Social Services Center, Inc.,
Angela G. Reyes, MPH, Executive Director, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation,
Zachary Rowe, BA, Executive Director, Friends of Parkside
Presented at the 23rd World Conference on Health Promotion, IUHPE
Rotorua, Aotearoa, New Zealand
April 10, 2019
*With acknowledgement to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
(#1RC4MD005694-01), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (#1R25GM111837-01), the
University of Michigan, my colleagues in the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center,
Eliza Wilson-Powers for her assistance, and John Schelp for one photograph.

2. Rationale
 Historically, research has not often directly benefited and
sometimes actually harmed the communities involved
 Communities most impacted by health inequities least likely to
be involved in the research process
 Resulted in understandable distrust of, and reluctance to
participate in, research

3. Rationale (continued)
Public health interventions have often not been as effective
as could be because:
 Not tailored to the concerns & cultures of participants;
 Rarely include participants; and
 Focused on individual behavior change with less attention to
broader social & structural determinants.

4. Rationale (continued)
 Stressors in the social & physical environment associated with
poor health outcomes
 Stressors include neighborhood conditions

5. Rationale (continued)
 Burden of disease borne by low income communities and
communities of color
 Extensive set of skills, strengths and resources exist among
community members

6. Rationale (continued)
Increasing calls for more
comprehensive & participatory
approaches
Increasing support for such
partnership approaches
Community-based participatory
research is one such partnership
approach

7. Community-based participatory research contributes
to examining health inequities
and promoting health equity

8. Definition of Community-Based
Participatory Research
 Community-based participatory research is a
partnership approach to research that:
 equitably involves all partners in all aspects of the research process;
 enables all partners to contribute their expertise, with shared
responsibility and ownership;
 enhances understanding of a given phenomenon; and
 integrates the knowledge gained with interventions.

9. Select Key Principles of CBPR
1. Builds on community strengths
and resources
2. Promotes collaborative and
equitable partnerships
3. Facilitates co-learning
and capacity building

10. Select Key Principles of CBPR (continued)
4. Balances research and action for
mutual benefit of all partners
5. Disseminates findings to all
partners and involves them in the
dissemination process
6. Promotes long-term process and
commitment

11. Community Involvement in Research
Adapted from: Hacker, K (2012) Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center
Accessed July 2, 2012 website: http://www.usc.edu/admin/oprs/private/docs/oprs/CER_HarvardCat.pdf
Investigator-Driven
Research
Community
Placed/Based Research
Community-
Based
Participatory Research
Community-
Driven
Research
Low High
Power & control
Responsibility & ownership
Participation
Influence
Community-
Engaged
Research

12. Application of CBPR Approach
CBPR an approach to/process by which research is
conducted:
 Has no specific method or research design
 Can involve qualitative and quantitative methods
 Can involve multiple research designs

13. Detroit URC Partner Organizations

14. Detroit URC Programs & Resources
Community-Academic Research Network
Collaborative Research Support
CBPR and Policy Advocacy Capacity Building
CBPR Partnership Academy

15. Detroit URC & Select Affiliated CBPR
Partnerships and Projects

16. Detroit URC: Select Accomplishments
Established over 20 CBPR partnerships and
implemented over 35 research projects
Over $45 million grant funding received
Improved health status of intervention participants
Built new relationships linking University and
communities and different parts of the University
Hired over 400 Detroit residents

17. Lessons Learned and Recommendations
Jointly develop CBPR
principles and what it means
to have a “collaborative,
equitable partnership”
Work together amidst ethnic,
cultural, social class and
organizational differences

18. Lessons Learned and Recommendations (continued)
Focus on community
strengths
Select mutually defined
priority issues, goals and
objectives
Establish procedures for
dissemination

19. Lessons Learned and Recommendations (continued)
Reach equity in distribution of
benefits and resources
Conduct ongoing evaluation of the
partnership process
Develop processes to promote
sustainability
Have fun and celebrate successes!

20. Questions, Discussion, Concluding Remarks
www.detroitURC.org
www.cbpr-training.org