CHITAMBO COLLEGE OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY
2023 INTAKE
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
STUDENT NAME; KABWE KUTAHSA
INDEX NUMBER; 202300013930
TUTOR’S NAME; MR. H. SIMUBALI
COURSE NAME; COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
ASSIGNMENT NUMBER; TWO [2]
QUESTION; Discuss the steps of community based participatory research
INTRODUCTION
Community based participatory approach to research is a collaborative approach to research where
community members, researchers, and other stakeholders work together to identify and address
community relevant issues. It emphasises the active participation of community members in all
stages of the research process. CBPR at it’s simplest can be defined as a partnership approach to
research that equitably involves community members, organizational representatives, researchers,
and others in all aspects of the research process with all partners in the process contributing
expertise and sharing in the decision making and ownership.
CBPR aims to not only generate knowledge but also to use that knowledge to create positive social
change within the community and in this assignment, I will be discussing the stages of CBPR, the
benefits of CBPR, the characteristics and principles of CBPR.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH [CBPR]
*Recognises the community as a unit of identity, emphasising on the significance of the community
for the people and the importance of using identification with the community as a starting point for
the work
*Builds on strengths and resources within the community
*Facilitates a collaborative, equitable partnership in all phases of research [this involves empowering
and power-sharing process that attends to social inequalities.
*Fosters co-learning and capacity building among all partners, noting that all partners bring a wealth
of diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives to the partnership process
*Integrates and achieves a balance between knowledge generation and intervention for the mutual
benefit of all partners, this emphasizes on integrating knowledge gained through the partnership, in
the advancement of interventions and policies that capture the concerns of all partners and the
larger communities they serve
*Focuses on the local relevance of public health problems and on ecological perspectives that attend
to the multiple determinants of health, this emphasizes on an approach to health that extends
beyond the individual, to the immediate and larger contexts in which families live, work and play
7] Involves systems development using a cyclical and iterative process, the importance of revisiting
each stage of the research process is to ensure that all voices are captured and that the action
agreed upon is appropriate for all partners involved
8] Disseminates results to all partners and involves them in wider dissemination of results
9] Involves a long-term process and commitment to sustainability, this process places an emphasis
on the importance of committing to the long haul through adequate investment of time and
resources in the CBPR process, it further reminds us to keep a critical eye on sustainability and
enforcement of the outcomes of the CBPR process
10] Openly addresses issues of race, ethnicity, racism, and social class, and embodies cultural
humility [this is just a recognition that while no one can be truly competent in another’s culture,
partners can demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection and critique, working to redress power
imbalances and to develop authentic partnerships]
11] Works to ensure research rigor and validity but also seeks to broaden the bandwidth of validity
with respect to research relevance, validity and reliability helps to promote policy change and other
action outcomes that can in turn help build healthy communities
STEPS IN COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH [CBPR]
1] SELECT THE COMMUNTI WITH WHICH TO WORK This is an initial step in CBPR, the community is
characterised by a sense of identification and emotional connection to other members, shared
values and norms, common interests and commitment to meeting shared needs
2] SELECT KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS
-Identify stakeholders that need to be at the table
-Having the ‘water cooler conversation’ with identified community stakeholders
3] CREATE JOINT OWNERSHIP OF THE STUDY
-Determine roles and responsibilities of partners
-Discuss final considerations
-Discuss ownership of data and process for interpreting data
-Create structures and processes for communication between university and community
4] DETERMINE RESEARCH QUESTIONS
-This is for the purpose of data collection for CBPR.
Those who are in control of problem identification are likely to control the entire research process
Questions are generated based on both expert and local or citizen knowledge
-Data collection can be used as a tool to help communities identify their strengths and assets, as well
as problems or issues to address
CHARACTERISTICS OF CBPR.
It involves full participation with the community.
Conducts research with the community instead of on/in a community.
It takes place in the community instead of the laboratory, hospital or clinical setting.
Focuses on a population rather than an individual.
It impacts the outcome of the community as a whole not an individual.
BENEFITS OF CBPR.
Facilitates collaborative, equitable partnerships in all phases of research
Balances research and action
Recognises community as a unit of analysis and builds on community strengths and
resources [assets]
Promotes joint learning, skill sharing and among all partners
Engage in a long term process and commitment
Emphasize and engage in addressing the often complex causes of local problems
Disseminates findings and knowledge gained to all partners and involves partners in the
process of taking action or next steps
Involves systems development through a cyclical and iterative process
Improves the quality and validity of research
Enhances the relevance and usefulness of research data for all partners
Recognising community as a unit of analysis
Joins together partners with diverse skills, knowledge, and expertise
Improves health and wellbeing of communities, both directly through examining identified
needs and directly through increasing control of research process
Provides additional funds and possible employment opportunities for community partners
Increases the possibility of overcoming distrust of research
CONCLUSION
In conclusion of this assignment, CBPR is a research approach that is fostered by collaboration with
different members of the community with much emphasis on stakeholder and each individual
involvement in solving the problems identified in specific communities and filling in the shortcoming
of previous researchers on persistently pressing issues of the general population of identified
communities with the focus of CBPR being community and not individuals within a set community.
REFERENCES.
1] The national institute of health [NIH]
2] Pub med [PMC]
3] Kellogg community health scholars program
4] Green and Mercer [2001]
5] Minkler [2005]
6] Adler et el. [2021]
