A case study in the use of community-based participatory research in public health nursing

Public Health Nurs. 2006 Sep-Oct;23(5):472-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2006.00585.x.

Abstract

There is growing demand for research using a community-based participatory (CBPR) approach. CBPR requires that the academic research team actively partner with community members and stakeholders in the entire research process. The community members are full partners with the researchers in relation to the development and implementation of the study, analysis of the data, and dissemination of the findings. The purpose of this article is to review four basic principles of CBPR and provide an example of how these CBPR principles were used in an ethnographic study related to the culture of African American infant health. In the pilot study, CBPR provided the framework for recruitment and retention of participants, ongoing data analysis, and dissemination of findings. Using CBPR provided the researchers an introduction into the selected community. Community members served as key informants about the culture of the community and provided access to potential participants. The community partners contributed to analysis of emerging themes and in the dissemination of findings to the community, stakeholders, and the scientific community. CBPR provides opportunities for community health nurse researchers to conduct research with vulnerable populations and sets the stage for implementing evidenced-based nursing interventions in the community.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anthropology, Cultural
  • Attitude to Health / ethnology*
  • Black or African American / ethnology*
  • Communication
  • Community Health Planning / organization & administration
  • Community Participation* / methods
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Data Collection
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Female
  • Health Services Research / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Infant Welfare / ethnology
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Information Dissemination
  • Nursing Methodology Research / organization & administration*
  • Ohio
  • Patient Selection
  • Pilot Projects
  • Pregnancy
  • Public Health Nursing / organization & administration*
  • Research Design
  • Researcher-Subject Relations / psychology
  • Trust
  • Vulnerable Populations