According to Rhodes, Malow, & Jolly (2010) community-based research is an approach that ensures community participation in research. In other words, while designing and conducting a research, a partnership between academic researchers and community is established. Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker (1998) insists on “social, structural, and physical environmental inequalities” (p. 173) as the focus of community-based research in public health. Applying a community-based public health research to the community intervention trial aimed at decreasing the rate of Chlamydia infection ages 14 -18 among ethnic group in Miami Dade Florida, the following stages should be followed.
First of all, the research question should be identified. In our case, we have stated two specific goals, the first one is aimed at increasing the number of screening and the second one is the implementation of the propaganda programs. Second, we should assess the community strengths, assets and challenges. Assessment of the considered community should be conducted by means of population interviewing. Third, the priorities should be defined. The information collected while the previous stage should be used as the means for considering the privileges in the current research. Then, we are to develop research stages, the means for data collection and create a methodology for the further research. The following stage is the data collection and analysis. Focus groups are going to be used as the methods for research. Furthermore, we are going to interpret gathered findings. It is crucial to carry out this stage up to its completion. The main idea of the next stage is to make “community members, organizational representatives, and academic researchers reach consensus on how to disseminate findings” (Hergenrather, Geishecker, McGuire-Kuletz, Gitlin, & Rhodes, 2010, p. 231). Applying findings to address action is the final stage of the research which should be used for policy changes (Citrin, 2000).
Reference List
Citrin, T. (2000). Policy issues in community-based approach. In T. A. Bmce & S. Urange McKane (Eds.), Community-based public health: A partnership model (pp. 83-90). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.
Hergenrather, K. C., Geishecker, S., McGuire-Kuletz, M., Gitlin, D. J., & Rhodes, S. D. (2010). An Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research. Rehabilitation Education, 24(3/4), 225-238.
Israel, B. A., Schulz, A. J., Parker, E. A., & Becker, A. B. (1998). Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19, 173-202.
Rhodes, S. D., Malow, R. M., & Jolly, C. (2010). Community-based participatory research: A new approach and not-so-new approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment. AIDS Education and Prevention, 22(3), 173-183.