Establishing a Framework for Sustainable Community Action Research

Malcolm Jones; Danielle Hoague; Raenita Spriggs; Elijah Catalan; Naomi Adams; Timothy Watkins; Aradhna Tripati; Keith C Norris

doi:10.18865/ed.32.4.333

Establishing a Framework for Sustainable Community Action Research

Ethn Dis. 2022 Oct 20;32(4):333-340. doi: 10.18865/ed.32.4.333. eCollection 2022 Fall.

Authors

Malcolm Jones¹, Danielle Hoague², Raenita Spriggs³, Elijah Catalan², Naomi Adams², Timothy Watkins⁴, Aradhna Tripati³, Keith C Norris⁵

Affiliations

¹ Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
² Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
³ Center for Diverse Leadership in Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
⁴ Watts Labor Community Action Committee, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
⁵ Division of General Internal Medicine-Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.

Abstract

Community-based participatory research/community-partnered participatory research (CBPR/CPRR) is viewed as a critical approach for improving health and addressing inequities found in under-resourced communities by pairing community partners and academic partners to address health and environmental concerns. This article aims to amplify the potential of the current CBPR/CPPR models through insights learned from the underserved community of Watts in south central Los Angeles. We discuss our framework that shifts the primary academic focus in the community-academia partnership from individual investigators and/or research groups to the academic institution to generate sustainable partnerships. We summarize the Community Action Research Engagement (CARE) Framework as a new set of recommended tenets to expand CBPR/CPPR. This framework can provide guidance for how universities can catalyze: 1) building trust; 2) facilitating knowledge; 3) advancing solutions; and 4) fostering mentorship in the context of leveraging a university's position to address the root causes of community inequities and thus create more sustained partnerships that achieve greater impact within their surrounding communities.

Keywords: Community-Academic Engagement Strategy; Community-Based Participatory Research; Community-Partnered Participatory Research; Environmental Justice; Health Equity.

Publication types

Editorial

MeSH terms

Community Participation
Community-Based Participatory Research*
Community-Institutional Relations*
Humans
Research Personnel
Universities