Collaborative Research with Communities: Value Added and Challenges Faced

by Meredith Minkler, Dr.P.H.

Abstract

The complex nature of many minority health problems and the failure of much traditional research to acknowledge the strengths of communities of color as potential partners in research have lead to growing excitement over a new paradigm that stresses action-oriented research with, rather than on, minority communities. This Keynote presentation will use case studies to illustrate the value added for communities and health researchers by community-based participatory research approaches. Core principles of such collaborative research will be illustrated, as will the ways in which this approach builds community capacity, focuses research questions on health issues that matter to minority communities, improves cultural sensitivity in all phases of the research process, and helps translate findings into action to help eliminate health disparities. Ethical and methodological challenges of collaborative community-based research also will be discussed and illustrated, and a case made for grappling with these dilemmas as we work to foster true community-health researcher partnerships to improve minority health.